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Juan Perón
An Argentine Icon
Early Career
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Entered military at 16
Served as military observer in Europe in 1938
Became familiar with Fascist Italy and Benito
Mussolini
Colonel Perón a participant in a military coup
d’état in 1943
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Becomes Sec. of Labor where he develops alliances
with socialists and labor unions
Promotes labor laws to strengthen unions – popular
with workers
Rising Popularity
Fund raising efforts after major earthquake
led to public approval and introduction to
second wife, Eva Duarte
 Rivalry among military officers and Perón
(Vice Pres. at the time) led to arrest and
brief imprisonment
 Mass protests led by Eva won his freedom
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They were married days after release
Wedding to Evita in 1945
Peron on cover of Labor
Union newsletter - 1945
1st Term – 1946-1952
Won with huge support of organized labor
 Would have permanent opposition of big
business
 2 main goals
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Social justice
 Economic independence
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Carefully avoided aligning with U.S. or
U.S.S.R. in early Cold War
Economic
Nationalized banks, railroads, shipping, etc.
owned by foreign nations
 Paid off foreign debts
 National control of universities, public utilities,
transportation, major agricultural export sectors
 Saw some major advances before inflation
struck in 1950s.
 Ironically, Marshall Plan that helped Europe
undermined Argentine markets that had opened
after the war
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Second Term 1952-1955
Faced economic troubles including high
trade deficits with foreign investors
 Highest standard of living in Latin America
led foreign manufacturers, especially auto
makers, to build plants in Argentina
 Many saw Perón as unpatriotic for
allowing so much foreign investment
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Controversial Reforms
Legalized divorce and prostitution
 Drew anger of conservative elements
 Pope Pius XII excommunicated Perón from
Catholic Church
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After death of Evita, he reportedly had relationship
with 13-year-old girl – did not deny it
Regime’s control of media suppressed critics
 Charges that he was a dictator grew
 A coup attempt drove him to exile in Spain and
resulted in the death of over 800 civilians
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Scene in the Plaza de Mayo
following a failed coup attempt
against Perón, June 16, 1955. He
was deposed three months later.
Repression of Opposition
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Upper class students vocal in opposition to
Peronists – resulted in mass firing of university
professors
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“Long Live Cancer” – student chant – referring to
Eva’s battle with cervical cancer
Meat Packer Union leader Cipriano Reyes
tortured in prison after organizing an anti-Perón
strike
Was implicated in plot to kill Perón
 Torture by police national police became common
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Media Control
Perón preferred control of media over torturing
opposition
 Intimidation of press
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110 publications closed down during 40s alone
 Caused remaining outlets to self-censor
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Perón imprisoned or exiled numerous artists
and intellectuals
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Including actors, film makers, musicians who ran
afoul of Perón
Protection of Nazi War Criminals
Nazis, collaborators permitted to enter
Argentina to escape prosecution
 Including Josef Mengele (Auschwitz “doctor,”)
Adolf Eichmann (architect of Holocaust), Klaus
Barbie (butcher of Lyon – Gestapo)
 Secret routing of Nazis to Argentina called the
“ratline”
 Nazi hunters focused on Argentina for years
 Perón an admirer of Fascist Italy and Spain
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Jews and Germans in Argentina
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Perón not anti-Semitic
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Close advisors included many Jews including many
who had fled from Nazi dominated Europe
Argentina first Latin American country to
recognize new state of Israel
Secured trade deals and visits from prominent
Israeli leaders
 Accepted more Jewish immigrants than any other
Latin American country
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Perón had sympathized with Axis during war
but believed in the rights of the Jews
Golda Meir of Israel talks with Evita Perón on
Meir's visit to Argentina, 1951
Germans in Argentina
German Argentine community 3rd largest
in the country
 Perón generally disliked “rigid” German
culture
 He allowed Nazi criminals into Argentina in
hopes of acquiring advanced German
technology developed during the war
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Peronist Persistence
During Perón’s exile, political supporters
continued to keep his chances of return alive
 Divisions between Left and Right, some of it
violent
 Perón returned during presidency of a
supporter whose unpopularity led to resignation
and a new election
 Perón won a third term that was marred by leftright conflict
 He died while in office after several major
health issues, ultimately by heart attack
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