Topline
What is perhaps a misplaced portray by Pablo Picasso was noticed on the house of Imelda Marcos, the previous first girl of the Philippines and the widow of dictator Ferdinand Marcos–who allegedly embezzled billions of {dollars} from the Philippines earlier than he was ousted–after her son Ferdinand Marcos Jr. received the presidential election this week.
Imelda Marcos is seen in her condo in Manila in 2007 with a gallery of work together with a … [+]
Key Information
After his victory on this week’s election, the household launched photographs of Ferdinand Marcos Jr. celebrating along with his mom at her house, and Picasso’s “Reclining Girl VI” seems on the wall of a sitting room above a settee.
The portray was considered one of eight focused by the Philippines’ authorities in a 2014 seizure of the Marcos’ belongings, however the one seized by the corruption court docket was later discovered to be a replica, in keeping with Andres Bautista, the previous chairman of the company tasked with recovering the Marcos household’s ill-gotten wealth
A 2019 documentary concerning the Marcos household referred to as The Kingmaker additionally captured footage of the Picasso after the 2014 seizure, director Lauren Greenfield confirmed.
Key Background
Earlier than Ferdinand Marcos Sr. was ousted from the presidency after a preferred rebellion in 1986, he’s believed to have embezzled as a lot as $10 billion from the nation’s coffers used to gasoline a lavish life-style for himself and his household by famously shopping for large troves of footwear and jewellery for Imelda, and buying an art collection worth millions, in keeping with the Philippines’ graft and corruption court docket. Many of the wealth has not been recovered. Throughout his 21-year-regime, his administration had 70,000 peope detained on subversion fees, and killed and tortured 1000’s extra, in keeping with Amnesty International. Imelda was convicted of corruption fees in 2018, although has launched an enchantment. Regardless of his household’s infamous fame, unofficial outcomes present Ferdinand Marcos Jr. received this week’s election by a landslide after a years-long marketing campaign to rehabilitate the household’s picture that critics mentioned relied on mass disinformation.
Additional Studying
Son Of Ex-Dictator Ferdinand Marcos On Cusp Of Profitable Philippines Presidential Race (Forbes)
‘Lost’ Picasso spotted in Imelda Marcos’s home after son’s election win (The Guardian)
Who is ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr and why are some Filipinos nervous about his family’s return? (CNN)