FAYE MOSS: Hello, everyone! Welcome to another episode of Superstars in History, the talk show featuring exclusive interviews with people from the past. I'm Faye Moss. Today's guest never forgot her humble background when she became world famous. As the First Lady of Argentina, she worked tirelessly to help the working class. Straight from history, here is Eva Perón!
EVA PERÓN: Thank you, Faye. Please—call me Evita. To my people I was always Evita.
FAYE MOSS: Okay, Evita! You were born in May 1919 in the small village of Los Toldos, Argentina. What was your childhood like?
EVA PERÓN: I was the youngest of five children, and my mother raised us alone. As a child I was aware that we weren't rich. Argentina was a prosperous country, but privileged landowners had all the wealth. One time I heard a working man say that the rich were too rich. I never forgot that!
FAYE MOSS: Did you dream of becoming famous?
EVA PERÓN: Yes, but not through politics! After appearing in a school play, I dreamed of becoming an actor in Buenos Aires, which was a huge, glamorous city.
At 15 I moved to Buenos Aires and began working. I got small parts on stage, in film, and on radio. Soon I became a radio soap opera star.
My real life began when I met Perón.
FAYE MOSS: You're referring to Colonel Juan Perón! How did you meet?
EVA PERÓN: In January 1944 an earthquake struck the city of San Juan, and six thousand people were killed. Perón planned a huge gala to collect donations for the earthquake victims. We met there, and from then on, I was always by his side.
FAYE MOSS: Colonel Perón was a high-profile member of the military government that was ruling Argentina at the time.
EVA PERÓN: Yes. As secretary of labor, Perón gave workers a minimum wage, paid holidays, and medical care. Never before had an Argentine leader cared so much about workers! Several months after we first met, he was appointed vice president. Unfortunately his rapid rise created enemies, and many within the government resented Perón's popularity.
FAYE MOSS: Tell us about the turbulent events of October 1945.
EVA PERÓN: The factions against Perón pressured him to resign, and he agreed. But in a farewell speech, he announced wage increases for workers, which infuriated his enemies. A few days later, Perón was arrested. On October 17 huge crowds of workers peacefully marched to Casa Rosada, the seat of the government, to protest the arrest.
FAYE MOSS: They were called the descamisados—the shirtless ones. How did they get that name, Evita?
EVA PERÓN: Many marchers took off their coats, and some even their shirts, because the weather was hot!
With over 200,000 supporters in the public square, Perón was released from jail. The people cheered for 15 minutes when he stepped onto the balcony!
FAYE MOSS: You and Perón were married the next day. When the military government agreed to disband and hold a free election, Juan Perón decided to run for president. You were highly visible during his campaign.
EVA PERÓN: Many disapproved of that! In Latin America, wives stayed at home and out of politics. But Perón and I were a team, and this continued after he was elected in February 1946. As first lady I met with the descamisados. When giving speeches I always spoke passionately, from my heart. They would shout, "Perón! Evita! Our lives for Perón!"
I was also vocal about equal rights for women. I organized and became president of the Peronista Women's Party and supported a bill that allowed women to vote.
FAYE MOSS: The Argentine workers loved you and Perón, but you also had your enemies.
EVA PERÓN: The descamisados loved us. When they asked for 40 percent higher wages, we gave them 50 percent! We did a lot of good for them—shortening their work hours and building them houses.
But the wealthy, the students, the intellectuals . . . they hated us and called us fascists! This didn't deter me. I owned two newspapers and controlled several radio stations in Buenos Aires, so I suppressed criticism of Perón and me. Yes, we silenced our critics at home, but we did so to protect our descamisados. Unfortunately I couldn't stop the critics when I visited Europe.
FAYE MOSS: You're talking about your Rainbow Tour in 1947. You were the biggest news story all over the world! The media followed your every move.
EVA PERÓN: Yes, I wanted to be a rainbow—a bridge between Argentina and the countries I visited. I had planned to visit Britain, but the press called me the wife of a dictator! I canceled my visit there. In Spain the crowds greeted me so warmly! And in Italy I met the Pope. I also visited France and Switzerland. After two months I was eager to return to my three great loves: Argentina, my descamisados, and Perón.
FAYE MOSS: When you returned to Argentina, you established the Eva Perón Foundation, a charity that—
EVA PERÓN: No, Faye! This was not a charity. My foundation provided social justice. We gave the poor what we owed them so there would be fewer rich and fewer poor! And the Argentine people were so generous; they gave voluntarily. Well . . . some had to be pressured to contribute. We built schools, hospitals, parks, and recreation centers.
Women and children lined up at my office to tell me their needs. I made sure that they received clothing, furniture, medicine, toys, and cash. They came to me defeated. I understood their suffering and injustice. That was why, in my speeches, I often shouted that justice would be done!
FAYE MOSS: Your work earned you the nickname The Lady of Hope. You were so popular that when Perón ran for reelection in 1951, the people wanted you to be vice president! No woman had ever run for such a powerful position.
EVA PERÓN: When Perón announced his candidacy, the huge crowd chanted, "Evita! Evita!" hoping I would join the ticket. I said no, but the crowd protested. So I asked for four days, then two, then one day to decide. Still they shouted, "Evita! Evita!"
As I had not been feeling well for some time, I officially declined over a week later. Of course, Perón was reelected! Millions of women, including me, cast our first votes.
FAYE MOSS: Evita, thanks so much for joining us! We'll let you get back to history now.
EVA PERÓN: Thank you, Faye.
FAYE MOSS: Unknown to the public, Evita's health had been declining due to advanced cancer. Shortly into Juan Perón's second term, Eva Perón died on July 26, 1952. She was 33 years old. Flowers sold out in Buenos Aires as Argentina plunged into mourning. Over two million mourners came to see their beloved Evita lying in state. In an era when women had little role in politics, Evita was known around the world for her political activities. Her story eventually became immortalized in the rock opera Evita.
I hope you enjoyed today's show. See you next time on Superstars in History.