Who Is Eva Peron

In the late nineteenth and early twentieth century, Argentina had a relatively strong economy built upon agricultural exports to Europe. However, after World War I in the 1910’s severely damaged European economies, international trade lagged as once powerful European countries refocused their efforts into reparations. As a result, Argentina’s once prosperous economy collapsed into political unrest and instability, although many attempts were made towards democracy. Throughout the mid twentieth century, a series of military strongmen came to power. One of these leaders, Juan Peron, was heavily guided by his wife, Eva, who made many improvements to Argentina. Eva Peron was a hero in her philanthropy which garnered the adoration of the Argentinian …show more content…
Her early life was a story of rags to riches, which endeared her to the people. She was born in a small village as the youngest of five children of Juan Duarte and Juana Ibarguren. Her father died when she was young, and her mother moved to the nearby town of Junin and opened a boarding house, where the family struggled with poverty. As a teen, Eva moved to Buenos Aires, where she eventually built a name for herself as a radio star. Her marriage to Juan Peron launched her into a life of luxury and riches as the wife of the Argentinian leader. Eva grew up in conditions similar to much of the Argentinian population, so she understood the struggles that come with being poor. The success she found on the radio sent a message of hope; if Eva could work her way out of poverty, then anyone could. Her prosperity molded her into a source of inspiration and motivation, furthering her connection to the people. In Peron tried to take an active role in helping the people. In a speech, she declared, “I am Evita for all those that need me, and instead of any position of privilege I prefer to fight in the street…” Evita was a nickname for Eva, meaning “Little Eva,” so by referring to herself with this endearing term, Eva creates …show more content…
Juan did not have the background or charisma that gained such support for his wife, and was met with a lukewarm reaction. Rumors about Juan’s personal life sparked moral indignation from Catholics that Eva would have easily deflected and handled had she been alive. Building resentment eventually led to protest that removed Juan from office, leading to a long period of political instability. The role of president changed hands very quickly, with most holding the position for less than a year, although Eva did not directly cause such turbulence. Eva’s charismatic political prowess ironically ended up damaging Juan’s career, as his lack of such magnetism became painfully obvious without