The Eternal Perón

by Marta Navarro Mora

Context

Isabel Perón became president in 1974, after the death of her husband Juan Domingo Perón. What many people might not be aware of was that not only was she the first woman to become president in Argentina, but also worldwide. Her presidency, however, is often described as dark. In 1973, Juan Perón returned from his exile after having been removed from the government by a coup d’état in 1955. During his first two presidencies, he created a signature ideological position, justicialismo, which became the basis of his Peronist movement. To understand the mechanisms of this ideology it is essential to acknowledge the importance of the figure of Perón himself.

After returning from exile, Perón created a new government. This surprised Argentinians due to the profile of people that conformed it. Due to the context of the Cold War, the people that formed this government were mainly anti-communists. However, most of them were known to have dark and unclear pasts, often linked to criminal activities. The darkness of this government was embodied by José López Rega, the most disliked government figure of all. He was known for having created the terrorist group, the Triple A. In addition, Juan Perón chose his wife Isabel Perón as his vice-president. It is not surprising, therefore, that after he died in 1974, people became unhappy with the government that they had been left with. On the 1st of July of 1974, Isabel took the role of president, however, without the leadership of Perón and the nor the unanimous support of the government that surrounded her, people started to oppose her government.

Propaganda Magazine

In this unstable context, the Peronist propaganda magazine, Patria Peronista (‘Peronist Fatherland’), published a cover in support of Isabel. To start with, it is important to highlight the logo that can be seen in the upper right-hand corner of the cover. It is the logo of the Partido Justicialista, the Peronist party to which Isabel and Juan Doming Perón belonged. The explicit link between the magazine and the leaders can then be appreciated here.

The Continuity of Leadership

The main goal of this cover is to demonstrate the continuity between the late Juan Perón and the new president, Isabel Perón, as it would be the only thing that could save her presidency. Next to the Partido Justicialista’s logo you can find two silhouettes. The bigger one in black belongs to the deceased Juan Perón, while the smaller white one belongs to Eva Perón, Juan Perón’s previous wife. Eva’s role within the Peronist movement was extremely significant. She was the direct link between the people and the government. At the time of the poster, however, the image of Eva was interpreted differently by different groups. The Montoneros saw her as the 'revolutionary Evita’, while the more conservative spheres of the Peronist movement depicted her as ‘Santa Evita’, a saint. The portrayal of Eva on this front cover, then, is a direct reference and reminder of that first period of Peronism in which Perón and Eva were the father and mother of the nation.

The most explicit example of the goal to preserve the continuity of the regime is the headline surrounding the image of Isabel Perón. ‘Perón Vive, Isabel Vence’ (‘Perón is alive, Isabel wins’). With just this quote, the magazine attempts to portray the eternality of Juan Domingo Perón. This quality, however, is portrayed as being linked to the rule of Isabel. Only if Isabel rules does Perón live. By linking the two, the magazine gives continuity to the presidency and tries to portray a more friendly image of Isabel.

The Creation of an Image

The portrayal of Isabel as a friendly woman comes mainly from the image chosen as the central element of the cover. By looking away from the camera, Isabel gives the impression of being caught naturally, rather than a posing artificially for the photo, and therefore appearing more identifiable for the viewer. Not only that, but the natural smile on her face attempts to make the viewer empathize with her more, giving the impression of a friendly, natural woman in which millions of other women can see themselves. The colours chosen are also something to be highlighted. The black background gives importance to the clarity of Isabel’s portrait, making her, even more, the centre of attention of the cover. Not only that, but the fact that they chose to put her in the middle of the ‘V’, which is light blue and white, like the national colours of Argentina, gives more importance to the idea that they want to transmit. Isabel is at the centre of Argentina; with the colours, they link the figure of Isabel Perón to the country of Argentina.