Marcos dies in exile

Former Philippines president Ferdinand Marcos, whose corrupt regime spanned 20 years, dies in exile in Hawaii three years after being driven from his country by a popular front led by Corazon Aquino.

Elected in 1966, Marcos declared martial law in 1972 in response to leftist violence. In the next year, he assumed dictatorial powers. His anti-communist activity won him enthusiastic support from the U.S. government, but his regime was marked by misuse of foreign support, repression, and political murders. In 1986, Marcos defrauded the electorate in a presidential election, declaring himself the victor over Corazon Aquino, the wife of an assassinated rival. Aquino also declared herself the rightful winner, and the public rallied behind her. Deserted by his former supporters, Marcos and his wife, Imelda, fled to Hawaii in exile, where they faced investigation on embezzlement charges. Ferdinand Marcos died in 1989. Three years later, Imelda returned to the Philippines and ran for president and was defeated. In 1995 she won a seat in the Philippine House of Representatives. She made another unsuccessful bid for the presidency in 1998. In 2001, Imelda was arrested on charges of corruption and extortion committed during her husband’s presidency, but was acquitted.