The U.S. has helped Mexico recover this sacred 17th-century artifact that was stolen 20 years ago from a church in the country’s south.
The statue of Saint Antonio de Padua is carved from solid wood and was painted and gilded.
The sculpture had been in the custody of an American collector who donated his collection to the San Angelo museum upon his death.
The piece did not have documents authenticating its possession so the museum reported the case to the FBI.
Angel Catalan, / FBI legal attache at the U.S. embassy declared:
“The piece was entered into the Interpol stolen art database. Then the Dallas FBI office contacted the museum in San Angelo and presented the information and evidence indicating that it had been stolen in Mexico 20 years ago. Special Agents Elizabeth Crabin and Chris Jones, with us today from our Dallas office, coordinated with the museum to transport the piece to our Dallas office, where it remained until it was shipped to Mexico.”
Source: YouTube
