Juan Peron.

Juan Peron. Juan Peron (1895-1974), president of Argentina (1946-1955 and 1973-1974), one of the most remarkable Latin American figures of the 20th century, who wrought long-lasting changes in the nation's politics. Juan Domingo Perón was born in Lobos, Buenos Aires Province, and educated at the Colegio Militar from 1911 to 1913 and at the Escuela Superior de Guerra from 1926 to 1929. In 1930 he took part in a military uprising against President Hipólito Irigoyen and served as private secretary of the minister of war from 1930 to 1935. He later taught at the Escuela Superior de Guerra, spent a year in Chile as military attaché, published five books on military history, and traveled to Italy to study alpine military methods. Upon his return to Argentina in 1941, Perón joined other officers in a secret military lodge that staged a coup d'état in June 1943. He took over the department of labor and proceeded to transform the labor movement by weakening the influence of left-wing parties on it, enacting new laws and implementing old ones, and creating new unions. Perón was made vice president and minister of war in 1944. As his power grew, opposition within the armed forces became widespread. On October 9, 1945, he was forced to resign from his three posts and was imprisoned. Perón's resignation triggered a government crisis that was resolved on October 17, when his labor supporters obtained his release. Four days later, Perón, a widower, married his mistress, Mariá Eva Duarte, who became fondly known as Evita (see Eva Perón). In 1945 a new political group emerged in Argentina, with its main support among the most depressed sections of the agricultural and industrial working class. Called the Peronistas, the group supported Perón as its candidate for the presidency. The Peronistas campaigned among members of the working class, which were popularly known as descamisados (Spanish for "shirtless ones," implying that they did not wear suitcoats like the middle class). The elections, held in February 1946, resulted in a decisive victory for Perón. As president, Perón pursued prolabor, pronationalist policies, helped by Evita, who became an influential, although informal, member of his government. In the early 1950s, benefits to labor began to diminish. The death of Evita in 1952, economic difficulties, increasing labor unrest, and his excommunication by the Roman Catholic Church further weakened Perón's position; in 1955 the military ousted his government. Throughout 18 years of exile, however, Perón retained his labor support and influence in Argentine politics. He was finally allowed to return to Argentina in 1973 and was again elected president, with his third wife, Isabel de Perón, as vice president. He died in office on July 1, 1974. Contributed By: Marysa Navarro Microsoft ® Encarta ® 2009. © 1993-2008 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.