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Juan Perón
An Argentine Icon
Early Career
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
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
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
Social justice
Economic independence
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
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
Controversial Reforms Legalized divorce and prostitution
Drew anger of conservative elements
Pope Pius XII excommunicated Perón from
Catholic Church
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
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
Upper class students vocal in opposition to
Peronists – resulted in mass firing of university
professors
“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
Media Control
Perón preferred control of media over torturing
opposition
Intimidation of press
110 publications closed down during 40s alone
Caused remaining outlets to self-censor
Perón imprisoned or exiled numerous artists
and intellectuals
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
Jews and Germans in Argentina
Perón not anti-Semitic
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
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
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 left-
right conflict
He died while in office after several major
health issues, ultimately by heart attack