Eva Perón (1919-1952) was emblematic of a political movement in Argentina. In her short life, she achieved a saint-like status and was so powerful an icon that long after her death, her final resting place remained a subject of fierce debate.
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Hello! From Wonder Media Network, I’m Jenny Kaplan, and this is Encyclopedia Womannica.
Today’s political figure became emblematic of a political movement in Argentina. In her short life, she achieved a saint-like status and was so powerful an icon that long after her death, her final resting place remained a subject of fierce debate.
Let’s talk about Eva Peron.
Eva was born Maria Eva Duarte in 1919, in Los Toldos, Argentina. Eva’s mother and father were never married. In fact, Eva’s father was married to someone else and had a whole other family. Eva’s mother was his mistress. Still, Eva was the youngest of their four children. Due to the illegitimate status of the relationship, the family was very poor. When Eva was six, her father died, leaving the family in an even more precarious position.
To make ends meet, Eva’s mother took in boarders and worked odd jobs. When Eva was 15, she traveled to Buenes Aires to pursue an acting career. She found success doing radio shows, including one in which she portrayed famous women throughout history like Queen Elizabeth I and Catherine the Great. A sort of dramatized-Encyclopedia-Womannica, if you will.
When Eva was in her mid twenties, she met a rising star in the Argentinian government, Colonel Juan Peron. The two were married in 1945. Later that same year, a military coup of rival army and navy officials ousted Juan from office. Determined to return to power, Juan entered the presidential race with Eva by his side.
Her humble beginning resonated with the poor and working class people of Argentina. The response was overwhelming. The adoration around Eva propelled Juan to victory, and he took office in June of 1946.
While Eva held no official title beyond first lady, she quickly began amassing political power. Having built so much of the campaign around her connection with the poor citizens of Argentina, she became the de facto Secretary of Labor as well as the unofficial Secretary of Health.
In these unofficial positions, Eva secured wage increases for unions. She created the Eva Peron Foundation which established hospitals, schools, elder care facilities and orphanages all around Argentina.
Eva also worked to progress the rights of women in Argentina. She was influential in the passage of the woman suffrage legislation in 1947 and the subsequent creation of the Peronista Feminist Party in 1949.
As her popularity grew to a saint-like fervor, there were calls for her to run as the Vice President alongside her husband in 1951. Juan and Eva ended up not going forward with that plan due to opposition from the army and Eva’s growing health concerns.
In 1952, Eva passed away from cervical cancer. She was only 33 years old.
But despite her untimely passing, her influence reverberated throughout Argentina.
Her devoted followers tried to have her canonized, but political opponents were set on removing all symbols of Peronism. In 1955, Juan Peron was overthrown and exiled from Argentina. Shortly thereafter, Eva’s embalmed body was stolen. Even in death, her presence was seen as a threat to her political opponents.
Bowing to political power, Eva’s remains were eventually returned to Juan Peron, who was exiled in Madrid.
When Juan passed away in 1974, his third wife, Isabel Peron, in an attempt to curry favor with the Argentinian working class, returned the remains to Argentina. They were interred in the presidential palace crypt.
Just two years later, a new government that was hostile to Peronism had the bodies removed.
In life and in death, Eva was a galvanizing political figure.
Her story is memorialized in the award winning musical - and later film adaptation -- Evita.
As always, we’re taking a break for the weekend. Tune in on Monday for the story of another political powerhouse. For more on why we’re doing what we’re doing check out our newsletter Womannica Weekly. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram @encyclopediawomannica and follow me directly on twitter @jennymkaplan.
Special thanks to my favorite sister and co-creator, Liz Kaplan.
Talk to you on Monday!