"The U.S. Is Responsible"

Shortly after President Marcos left the party caucus that ratified his call for elections, his wife Imelda, 56, appeared in the corridors of Malacanang Palace. Smiling and greeting the delegates, Mrs. Marcos whispered to one visitor, "I leave it up to you to take care of the President and to deliver the votes." The reply: "We will give the opposition zero, ma'am." Imelda broke into laughter. "But you will make the foreign press angry. That's one thing the Western mind will never believe and understand."

Over lunch Mrs. Marcos launched into a freewheeling monologue. Of the elections she said, "The problem is that the Western press and America have succeeded in making even the Soviets believe that the Communists are strong here. Now we have to prove, more than ever, that the Filipinos are united, especially in the coming election. This is not just a matter of perception. This is a matter of survival." She blamed the U.S. for the growing Soviet presence. "It's ironic. The Americans are actually responsible for the Soviets' keen interest in the Philippines. I was told during my trip to Russia that were it not for the Marcoses--with whom they can still communicate in a civilized way--they would have overrun the Philippines long ago. So you see, I'm actually America's best friend."

Other comments: On U.S. pressure for political reforms. We can't really understand why America keeps on thrashing away [at us], while the Soviets don't. The Soviet leaders did not press us at all. "Tell us what you need," they said, "and we will give it to you." President Reagan is no problem. He is very enlightened about us. It's the [U.S.] system.

On U.S. ties. If you're a friend, you're damned. If you're an enemy, you're dead. I'm waiting. One of these days you will see me hanging from a tree. So what else is new? I don't want an old ugly corpse [laughing]. The beauty about me is I'm not attached to anything, not even to life.

On women. America cannot accept a woman's superiority . . . especially tall and beautiful Filipino women who are smartly dressed like this [touching her dress], and they go even crazier if you are wearing high heels. Just because you're a woman, they think you're frivolous. Just because you can sing a little, you're not to be taken seriously.

On Soviet diplomacy. While America is immersed in high technology and hardware, Russia is building relationships--and when it's people you are cultivating, you can hardly go wrong. America had better watch out. The moment [President Marcos and I] are no longer here, the Russians will take over. Stupid America!