Today she is known by her nickname, Evita, which would translate as "Little Eva", especially after the same-titled Hollywood musical starring pop legend Madonna. But aside from all the romanticism and dramatization that producers depicted in the cinematic feature, Eva Peron's life was a guiding line for thousands of poor people living in a country torn away between the insanely rich and dirt poor. Being born as an adulterous child, out of wedlock, Evita bore a stigmata right from the moment she saw the light of day, but never was this more obvious than on the day of her father's funeral when his first family denied her and her mother the right to attend the funeral procession with the rest of them.

Some say this is the moment when Evita's hatred for the rich stemmed from, but since she was only seven, it is unlikely that she was even realizing the situation she was in. Time passed and while her mother was busy sowing and cooking for richer families to make money, Evita spent her days watching movies and day-dreaming of becoming an actress herself. Aged 15, she set off for Puerto Rico where she hoped to make her dream come true. Persevering at what she had originally decided, she stuck through thick and thin (mostly thin though as this was during the 30s when everybody's financial state dwindled). Slowly, she began finding work in melodramas and radio (her voice would be the one captivating people later on in her political career), making big money and taking a one-way ticket to Easylivingsville. But she never forgot the feelings of outrage and helplessness she got when watching the huge difference between the rich and the poor.

She set out to make a difference and together with her newly-discovered husband, Juan Peron, a prominent political figure of the day with a military background (whom she had met at a fund raising gala for the victims of the 1944 earthquake). Together they began organizing the lower classes into unions which offered them considerable political power. But with great power comes great responsibility and pretty soon the ones in charge of the country thought the Peron couple was gaining power, a little too much power, so they cut their popular streak short and put Juan in jail. Promptly and efficiently one could say, but they obviously didn't know Evita. She is thought to have organized the huge rally of protesters that demonstrated outside the Casa Rosada (Argentinian Government House), which eventually pressured the people in charge to release Juan Peron just six days later.

Seeing how much the people rooted for him, the least the man could do was run for president and that he did. Evita chose to do what any loving wife would do: campaign for her husband using her radio show to promote all the good things he had done for Argentina. It was during this campaigning that the public really got a taste of the real Evita who toured the country and made appearances together with her husband. And since Argentina was not enough, Evita then began her "rainbow tour", which saw her pressing flash in Europe this time. You have to give it to this woman, she knew what making an appearance was all about and she could campaign the hell out of any other competitors. It was on this occasion that Time magazine did a piece on her, the first one on a South American First Lady.

After her return from Europe, which had not gone smoothly since her visit in Switzerland was met with thrown tomatoes and rocks, Evita decided to tone down her appearance, giving up her elaborate hairdos and her flashy outfits, opting for more comfortable and somber clothes, thus making her political image more serious. Evita set the basis of a charitable foundation that would bear her name and that would build houses and schools for the poor people and give free health care to those who previously could not afford it. Slowly, she also introduced women to politics and created her Feminist Peronic Party, which boosted her popularity and political power as well as her husband's. So popular in fact that she even considered running for vice-president in a move that angered the military and enthralled the working classes who gathered in a huge meeting to show their support and demand that she make the move official. This was such a big deal at the time because in case of the president's demise, it was the vice-president who took over, meaning that in case Peron died, it would be Evita who would run the country. A few days later she announced that she wouldn't be running in the election, a move that was considered selfless at the time but later history proved that it was the increased pressure from the military, and the Argentinian upper classes that prevented her from applying for the job.

Her dreams of grandeur and fame were stopped by an advanced form of cervical cancer which saw her undergo an urgent (yet secret) hysterectomy. The following year she rode together with her newly reelected husband in Argentina's first election that allowed women to vote, a fact that she personally contributed to and heavily campaigned for. But what the cheering crowds didn't know at that time was that their idol was very sick, not being able to even stand straight on her own. Under her huge fur coat she was wearing, she actually had a frame of wire and plaster made up to support her and she took a triple dose of pain killers just to show up. The cancer was not stopped despite the urgent operation and all the chemotherapy and on July 26, 1952, aged 33, she died. Considering that she had just been named the spiritual leader of the country, it's easy to foresee the reaction of the Argentinian people.

A nation-wide mourning procession took place, with all public institutions closing down and restaurants and movie theaters shutting their doors. In fact, days after her recent demise there was a series of extravagant tributes which included the request to canonize her in the Catholic church and give rewards to school children that would write essays and poems about the beloved Evita. Her husband had her body embalmed immediately after her death so that it may be preserved for posterity. And if you think there is some truth to the saying that behind every great man there is an even greater woman, then wait until you hear this: shortly after her death, Evita's husband was overthrown in a military coup thus making even clearer the fact that Peron had much more to thank his wife than for her support - her fans became his fans and in such large numbers that the military did not dare make a move until two years after her death, fearing reprisals from the workers. That's how big she was, the woman who bewitched an entire nation into following her.