Perón, María Eva Duarte de (1919–1952)

María Eva Duarte de Perón, well known as “Evita,” was the second wife of President Juan Perón and the first female politician in Argentina whose fame extended beyond the country's borders. Bestowed with a mythic image by the worker class, Evita is credited [Page 543]with improving social conditions for marginal sectors and furthering women's civic and political rights.

Evita was born in a humble family and moved at a very young age to Buenos Aires, where she aimed to become an actress. A few years later she became a popular radio presenter. She was early a labor activist as the head of the union for radio employees. Her speeches demonstrated her natural talent before big audiences, a charismatic approach to the masses, and an effective rhetorical ...