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The mystery of Evita’s corpse

When Eva Peron, Argentina's First Lady, died in 1952, her body was embalmed. But the military feared her corpse would focus protest against the new government. So they stole it.

When Eva Peron, Argentina's most famous First Lady, died in 1952, her body was embalmed.

Three years later, her widower, Juan Peron, was deposed in a coup. But military officers feared her corpse would become a rallying point of protest against the new government. So they stole it.

Over the next few decades, Evita’s body was stored in several different places in several different countries, inspiring wild stories about its supernatural powers.

In 2013, Linda Pressly spoke to Domingo Tellechea, the art restorer charged with repairing the embalmed body.

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(Photo: Evita's body returned from Italy. Credit: Keystone/Getty Images)

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11 minutes

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