Many people will have differing opinions, however, there is no singular definition of Eva Perón’s legacy nor a homogenous discourse concerning her to be either good or evil.
Firstly, it is important to contextualise the person herself. Born Eva María Duarte on May 7 1919, she was the youngest of five. When her father left her family, the Duartes were thrown into desperate poverty. To cope, young Eva dreamed of escaping this unfortunate lifestyle and acting professionally. At 15, she began the journey to achieving this, moving to Buenos Aires with her musician boyfriend. An acting career followed and in radio, film and TV, she became well-known. Especially in radio, as she played various notable women on a historical-drama show with Radio Belgrano, later co-owning the station.
She then began her political career when she founded the Argentine Radio Syndicate. In 1944, Eva attended a gala where she met her husband-to-be Juan Perón, then a government official. Within a year of their marriage, he was elected President of Argentina and she his First Lady.
It is unequivocal that the name Eva Perón is not just synonymous with recent Argentine history but also with modern pop culture itself. While living, she published an autobiography: ‘My Mission in Life’. It was controversially received and in 1952, it became compulsory scholastic reading material and if people rejected this, they faced possible exile. Posthumously, numerous biographies, films and even stage adaptations of her life have been created.
One such adaptation is the musical “Evita”, written by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice, which premiered in London on 21st June 1978. It is controversial because its script was supposedly based upon a biography entitled “The Woman with the Whip”, which was politically damning and seemingly academically revered but rejected by Peronist supporters. In the 1996 film, Madonna played the lead role, notably filming the “Don’t Cry for Me Argentina” scene on the balcony of the Casa Rosada itself (this was the Argentine President’s office and the lectern of choice for the Peróns).
This production choice was dubiously received by many Argentines as they feared that it was overstepping sacred ground: only previous presidents, and undoubtedly Eva and Juan Perón, had stood there. Having a pop star use it seemed to lessen its significance. Saying this, Carlos Menem, the President at that time, agreed to these filming conditions. Possibly because he was a Peronist himself and partly because filming “Evita” in Argentina itself would continue Eva’s legacy, regardless of mixed public opinion.
On the other hand, she is an admired figure. On her 33rd birthday, 7th May 1952, she was anointed as the ‘Spiritual Leader of the Nation’, an honour which she presently carries. Eva initially intended to run for the vice-presidency alongside her husband but was unable to do so because of her deteriorating health. Her husband bestowed her with this honour but it is believed that he did this on behalf of the Argentine public as they respected her so much so that they were desperate for her to have a title. They identified that she “wasn’t content with just words” and that her actions had both intent and heart.
As depicted in the 2022 Star+ series Santa Evita, based on Tomás Eloy Martínez’s historical novel, people lined the streets to hear Eva speak. They prayed with rosaries outside her house whilst waiting to hear news about her fight with ovarian cancer. A BBC article states that roughly three million people filed past her coffin once she died. The state of her funeral and the outpour of public grief greatly surpassed that of her husband’s.
On the Eva Perón Foundation’s website, there is a quote from Eva stating that she “cast her dreams aside to fulfil those of others”. The María Eva Duarte Social Help Foundation was established on June 19, 1948. Eva used $10,000 pesos of her own money as initial funding, plus spending hours packing clothes and people’s donations. One significant example of the Foundation’s work was creating three ‘temporary homes’ which were accommodation for the homeless. These were inaugurated between 3rd April and 14th August 1948. By 1954, 2280 people received assistance in these homes. Home Number 2, erected on June 19th 1948 at 2988 Lafinur Street, still remains and is now the Eva Perón Museum.
The website also features the current founder’s biography, which says that whilst admiring Eva, she is also “passionate about the Peronist doctrine”. Once Perón was ousted by the Liberating Revolution, any mention of him or his wife was banned. A claim exists that he formed a personality cult (a concept where the leader is put on an idealised pedestal) around them both. There is some foundation to this, as one of Eva’s most famous quotes is “my biggest fear in life is to be forgotten”. She was so obsessed with ‘personifying’ these projects that she neglected her health for her work. Acknowledging that she could never have children, she adopted the population of Argentina as “her own”.
Whilst there are multiple sources and life events that could continue to solidify this argument, the ones mentioned above are the most crucial. Her biography and political output contain highs and lows and whether a positive or negative opinion of her is held depends entirely on the reader’s disposition.