Since the mid-20th century, the glamorous figure of Eva Perón in Christian Dior attire has stood as a symbol of leftist ideals in South America, alongside the fiery “eternal revolutionary” Che Guevara. While supporters of the “spiritual leader of the nation” admire the brief yet impactful life of Juan Perón’s second wife, critics find ample grounds to condemn her influence on state politics.
Juan and Juana
The biography of Eva Perón begins with a difficult childhood. The youngest of five illegitimate children of rancher Juan Duarte and his worker, Juana Ibarguren (whose maternal lineage traced back to Basque immigrants), she was born on May 7, 1919, in the patriarchal town of Los Toldos, near Buenos Aires. When María Eva Ibarguren was just seven years old, her father died in a car accident, and five years later, the girl accidentally burned her face and hands with boiling olive oil. A doctor bandaged her wounds and prepared the young patient for the possibility that her delicate skin would be forever marred by ugly scars. However, when the bandages were removed, there were no traces of the incident on the teenager’s body. Fate had spared the future actress from physical flaws, as if protecting her for a significant mission ahead.
School photo of Eva Duarte, 1933.
After the death of Juan Duarte in a traffic accident in 1926, the life of his “illegitimate family” worsened due to eviction from the estate by the legitimate heirs. The unofficial widow was forced to move from the farm to the nearby town of Junín. Subsequently, Juana managed to set all her children on their feet: she sent her son to the capital for military service, found wealthy husbands for her three older daughters, and bought train tickets for her youngest daughter to Buenos Aires after she expressed her desire to become an actress following her late completion of elementary school.
Eva Duarte, 15 years old
Acting Debut
Despite lacking formal education, María Eva Ibarguren, or Eva Duarte as she was known on posters, found work with one of the many acting troupes performing on the capital’s stages and even touring other cities. In 1935, she made her debut in a minor role at the “Comedia” theater. As she stepped onto the stage, María Eva was unconcerned about her amateur status. Instead of studying acting at drama courses, the girl found success as a model. She posed for advertising photos, and soon her images appeared on the covers of illustrated magazines focused on theater and cinema, such as “Antena,” “Sintonía,” and “Radiolandia.”
One successful chapter in the future Eva Perón’s biography was her participation in popular radio plays in the early 1940s. It all began in 1938 when she signed a contract with a producer to advertise soap on the radio. Standing before the microphone as a broadcaster, Eva saw the potential for involving actors in studio work: in 1939, she formed the first group of performers for radio theater. Two years later, Eva Duarte left the stage to fully focus on her new work. Remaining unseen by audiences, she gained recognition on the radio faster than she could have on stage. Participating in radio productions and advertisements, the actress first made an impression on listeners with her voice, and later they saw her in small roles on the big screen.
Eva Duarte in “Circus Cavalcade,” 1945.
Real Life
The actress’s career soared with a series of productions dedicated to famous women: Joséphine de Beauharnais, Sarah Bernhardt, Eleonora Duse, Anna of Austria, Lady Hamilton, and others. It is believed that influential patrons helped Eva Duarte realize this idea on the Belgrano radio channel. The new project was promoted by the magazine “Antena,” and financially supported by sponsors from a soap company. The radio series “Heroines in History” elevated its initiator to the position of leading actress. Soon, Eva had the opportunity to meet Juan Perón, who, after initiating and organizing a military coup, held a modest position as head of the labor secretariat.
Eva Duarte and Juan Perón, 1945.
To promote his social policies, the representative of the political force that came to power through the military coup frequently appeared on the radio, and his acquaintance with the leading employee occurred at an official fundraising event for earthquake victims in San Juan. The subsequent romantic relationship with Colonel Perón fundamentally changed the actress’s fate: she referred to their meeting as “a magical day,” marking the beginning of her “real life.” Under Juan Perón’s patronage, the young woman became the host of a political radio project that promoted the activities of the head of the labor secretariat: the program “Towards a Better Future” aired several times a week. At the same time, Eva headed the newly created radio workers’ union and collaborated with Perón’s office as a community activist. When the colonel became Minister of Defense and Vice President of the country, his favorite’s position on the radio was further solidified. She became the top employee with the highest salary of 35,000 pesos.
Eva Perón – host of a political radio project
Leading Role
In 1945, Eva was invited for her first leading role in a film titled “The Spendthrift.” The filming was well-funded and attracted significant media attention. Perón personally visited the set, publicly demonstrating his connection with the charming actress. Eva’s proximity to the influential patron was quickly exploited by the circle of Señorita Duarte: at her request, the author of the “Heroines in History” series received a leading position in the presidential propaganda office, and a colleague from the radio headed the communications department. Perón’s arrest due to a conspiracy by officers was a sign of irritation among his social circle, amid growing contradictions as his power strengthened and his popularity soared.
The emergence of the Peronist movement (the ideology of Peronism was interpreted as an alternative to liberalism, a third way between capitalism and socialism) was attributed by the colonel to Eva, who allegedly had a role in organizing the mass demonstrations on October 17, 1945, when hundreds of thousands of workers gathered in front of the presidential palace at Plaza de Mayo in Buenos Aires, demanding the release of political prisoner Perón. However, historians dispute the actress’s involvement in that action: at that time, she was still far from politics, had no influence in the working environment, and only listened to the speech of the freed Perón on the radio. Nevertheless, the actress’s charisma would later allow Eva Perón to deliver speeches from the podium and resonate with ordinary people. The “star effect” is vividly depicted in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical “Evita” and the subsequent film adaptation featuring Madonna as Eva Perón.
Political Stage
After marrying Perón (the marriage was registered in October 1945, just five days after his release from prison), Evita left her work in radio and film to join her husband’s inner circle of closest aides. As a partner, she embodied the active role of women in contemporary realities and drew attention to the progressive views of the presidential candidate. Juan Perón allocated a specific place for women in political struggle and intended to grant them voting rights. Eva Perón was a fitting candidate for campaigning among women. Her energy and organizational skills allowed her to benefit her husband, while she had no personal political ambitions.
During her travels across the country, Evita Perón mimicked her husband’s oratorical style, characterized by short emotional statements and appeals to feelings rather than reason. As a student of political populism, she delivered rehearsed speeches, echoing the phrases of her experienced mentor, managing, as researchers of the Peronism phenomenon noted, to express no personal opinions. Yet, the mere presence of the presidential candidate’s wife at his meetings with voters was an extraordinary phenomenon for Argentina. “Comrade Evita” convinced the less educated public of Perón’s love for the people, and they responded to such a leader with genuine trust. In the 1946 presidential elections, the proponent of social reforms won a convincing victory, and his emotional partner became the country’s first lady.
Status Change
Having entered the elite of Argentine society, the former poor girl became enamored with new opportunities. Her future tactic became distancing from her peasant origins, while her unchanging desire remained to secure lucrative positions for relatives and acquaintances. First and foremost, the president’s wife helped her brother Juan rise to prominence, who became Perón’s personal secretary. The husbands of her older sisters were appointed to positions as director of the Central Customs, head of the Supreme Court, and senator. The personal doctor found a place as head of the Chamber of Deputies, a bodyguard was appointed general secretary of the General Confederation of Labor, and a former colleague became Eva Perón’s personal speechwriter, writing and editing her speeches.
Opposition figures accused the first lady, who chose to focus her efforts on supporting the poor, of excessive spending on her wardrobe, which consisted of hundreds of designer dresses, an incredible collection of shoes, and elite jewelry adorned with luxurious gems. In the tumultuous socio-political activities of the president’s wife, his opponents saw a means of strengthening the dictator’s unchecked power. Such concerns were justified: Perón’s social reforms were accompanied by restrictions on civil rights and freedoms, and Eva Perón, it seems, actively facilitated this.
Cult Formation
The intensification of conflicts with the opposition and accusations of dictatorship forced Juan Perón to seek support on the international stage. In 1947, he sent his wife on an image-building tour of Europe; however, the so-called “Rainbow Tour” only met expectations in Spain, where Eva Perón was received as an important state figure (after World War II, Franco’s regime was also suffering from diplomatic isolation and was interested in Argentine loans). Interesting facts about Eva Perón’s activities: she participated in state affairs without holding any official positions and managed her namesake foundation without oversight of fund expenditures.
Evita arrives in Madrid
Registered as a non-profit organization relying on charitable donations, the “Eva Perón” foundation was funded by unions, businesses, and private individuals (often leading to disputes due to state pressure). The foundation also grew through contributions from casino revenues and the national lottery. This “wallet” of Evita Perón was even filled with funds from the first salary increases that were transferred during the renegotiation of labor contracts, as well as amounts equivalent to two days’ wages for workers and employees on May 1 and October 17. While in 1948 the annual budget of the foundation for aiding the poor was about $30,000, by four years later, it had skyrocketed to $500 million. Meanwhile, the public foundation operated with state resources and assistance provided through directive orders, contributing to the personal cult of Evita.
In 1951, Golda Meir visited Argentina to thank the Eva Perón Foundation for its support of Israel
Informal Powers
By the early 1950s, the popularity of the Argentine leader’s wife reached its peak: the beloved figure was only a step away from officially becoming vice president. Initially, military opposition hindered this, so the restrained Juan Perón rejected Eva Perón’s candidacy for the second most important position in the state hierarchy. In Peronist propaganda, the leader’s wife was forever assigned unofficial titles such as “authorized representative,” “banner of the oppressed masses,” “shield of Perón,” and “hope and guard of the revolution.”
Demonstration in front of the National Congress for women’s voting rights, September 3, 1947.
It would likely have pained Eva Perón to learn that later, the vice presidency would be held by Juan Perón’s third wife, who would mimic the mannerisms of her predecessor, and after her husband’s death, become the first female president in history. Eva Perón’s plans were thwarted by an unexpected diagnosis: doctors discovered she had cervical cancer. The disease progressed so rapidly that surgery changed nothing. Six months after the operation, the nation’s favorite passed away on July 26, 1952.
Farewell Applause
The Argentine benefactor left this world at the age of 33—she completed her mission at the height of fame, in the “age of Christ.” Even after her death, the legendary Argentine remained a spiritual authority for the nation. Hundreds of thousands came to bid her farewell: until 1955, her embalmed body was available for public viewing in a transparent coffin. The second wife of Juan Perón was buried only after his ousting from power and death. Thus, Eva Perón was buried twice: first under a false name in Italy (the grave in Milan belonged to the fictitious María Maggi Magistris), and in 1974, her coffin was transported back to her homeland (the remains of the national heroine were laid to rest in the family crypt in Argentina).
Official portrait of Juan Domingo Perón with his wife Eva, displayed at the Museo del Bicentenario
Eva Perón’s husband survived a coup and exile but ended his life as the third president, regaining the country’s leadership in 1973. A year later, his widow Isabel Martínez de Perón took the highest state office, emulating the public image of the charismatic Eva Perón—the unparalleled actress of political theater.