I will explain here my reaction to the reading of My message by Eva Perón. She wrote this text shortly before her death by cancer and this was a way for her to address her final words to the Argentinian people, to justify her and her husband’s struggle, to identify the enemy and to express her dying wish.

Evita continuously explains she never forgot her poor background and has always remained loyal to the “people”, which she almost qualifies as a separate species: one that is cruder than that of the oligarchy, but also more loyal and humane. She regularly reaffirms that her husband has always fought for the betterment of their condition, instead of living a life of privilege. I think the way Evita calls to the needy and sympathizes with them aims at justifying the political movement and the leadership of her husband, but at the same time her work for them actually proves her honesty.

She warns the “people” of the main enemies they face in this battle: the military, the clergy, the oligarchs in general but also the indifferent, those who do not feel violently convinced by Peronism. She calls to the passion, to the fanaticism of the people to prevent political or military opponents from overthrowing Perón.

The tone of the text is overly optimistic and grandiloquent. Evita appears sure that the population can form a coherent force dedicated to the common good and that the demonstration for the liberation of Perón was an example of this. However, this same event is exactly the same as the previous reading of the week, A celebration of the monster by Jorge Luis Borges: Borges stated that such dedication and unity are not to be expected.

It can partially explain why Peronism is controversial. Theoretically, it has a benevolent goal of helping the poorest of the country but it mainly relies on demagogy and fanaticism.