Everything in Argentine history is remembered based on ones political views. So here 2 years after her death, we see Evita remembered in her glory with Peron still in power. The next year his elected government was replaced violently by a military general of British ancestry. The General’s side remembers that as a “Liberating Revolution”. Fun place Argentina. So slip on your smoking jacket, fill your pipe, take your first sip of your adult beverage, and sit back in your most comfortable chair. Welcome to todays offering from The Philatelist.
Peron era stamps are a feast for stamp collectors. I have done a few here https://the-philatelist.com/2018/11/21/argentina-1954-peron-invokes-ceres-to-enobile-the-grain-exchange/ , and here https://the-philatelist.com/2017/11/03/paying-extra-to-celebrate-the-art-of-stamp-designing/ . They just presented things with so much drama. Toward the end of Peron’s first rule, inflation was bettering the country and this is reflected is a reduction of print quality of this stamp. Reality has a way of showing through.
Todays stamp is issue A236, a three Peso stamp issued by Argentina in 1954. It was a single stamp issue remembering Evita Peron on the second anniversary of her death. According to the Scott catalog, the stamp is worth 50 cents used.
Evita Peron was born illegitimately in humble rural circumstances. At the age of 15, she ran off with a tango musician to relatively wealthy Buenos Aires. She died her hair blond and sought employment as a singer dancer and actress. She had some success at this especially on radio soap operas. In 1944 at age 25, she met Juan Peron at a benefit for survivors of an earthquake. He was then Labor Minister and suggested that she organize a new labor union for those in the performing arts. This happened and was the first government recognized union with Evita the elected leader. She married Peron the next year and campaigned successfully with him for President the next year. She lead a special outreach to the poor working class that she referred to as Descamisodos, those without even shirts.
As First Lady she continued her outreach to the poor and championed female voting in her own Peronist female only political party. Peron’s foreign policy was isolationist so to reduce foreign influence in Argentina. So instead of a European Head of State tour Evita was sent alone on a “Rainbow Tour” of Europe. She caused a sensation in Spain, Portugal, and France but was only granted a perfunctory audience with the Pope and the British part of the tour was cancelled when officials refused to receive her.
As first lady, Evita made some changes to her official history. A new birth certificate showed her legitimate and three years younger. She then changed laws that disadvantaged those born illegitimate. The legal term was changed to natural children. In the new version of her history, her move to Buenos Aires included her mother and she then was chaperoned by old family friends.
After a failed run to be Peron’s vice president, Evita fell ill. She suffered from cervical cancer that resulted in fainting spells and severe vaginal bleeding. An American surgeon was imported for aggressive treatment that included a full historectomy, Argentina’s first chemotherapy, and a full frontal lobotomy to reduce her anxiety. Evita died in 1952 at her preferred age or thirty.
In 1955 much was made in military and business circles of the over the top nature with which the Perons were presented. Peron answered that his way was more naturally Hispanic and only looks strange to those of English heritage. He was overthrown in a coup known as a “Liberating Revolution” and it was the General’s turn to edit out the English aspects of their heritage.
Well my drink is empty and I will happily pour another to toast Evita. After all of Broadway can for so many years, so can I. Come again tomorrow for another story that can be learned from stamp collecting.