Cristina likes to present herself as a selfless beneficiary of the Poor and Disadvantaged (whilst putting her country at the brink of bancruptcy) and Evita was the saintly icon for the 'Descamisados and Trabadores' of her time.
Cristina is close to sixty years now, and makes desperate attempts to project an image of youth (through generous applications of Botox), Evita died at around thirty years of youth, and thus has acquired an aura of eternal beauty.
It reminds one of an ever young Marilyn Monroe or Princess Diana.
Amongst some segments of the population, the memory of Evita has developed into a quasi religious cult.
During one of the last days in Buenos Aires, I visited Museo Evita. It is a Belle Epoque mansion, which the Peron's expropriated from its original owners, and Evita turned it into a home for Orphans.
Evita wrote her autobiography, The Reason of my Life; the book has been translated into almost every living language around the world.
Evita comes from humble beginnings. She spent the early years of her life as a small role actress, to make ends meet.
She met handsome and powerful General Peron on one of his political ralleys. She endeared herself to him, that after a lot of resistance by the Elite to Evita's 'non-aristrocratic' status, they married.
A life of luxury and fame began for Evita. Worldy treasures poured into the Peron's coffers, 'gifts and presents' from their admirers and political lobbyists.
Evita became a fashion plate showing unerring good taste and a natural flair and sense of occasion.
She managed to get Argentinian women the right to vote, she gave away houses, money, bridal gowns for poor girls, glasses and false teeth for the old. She fought for workers' rights with passion and eloquence. She introduced social assistance, such as orphanages.
It is said, that one day during a drive through Buenos Aires, she admired a certain beautiful mansion. On the next day, Peron presented her with the ownership papers of said mansion. Nothing is said about the previous owners...
Robin Hoodism maybe - take from 'The Rich' and give to 'The Poor', or maybe to one's Presidential wife?
The present day museum, and latter day orphanage, still shows signs of past splendour. Here a sky-lit inner courtyard, with intricate tile work, carved wooden balconies and balustrades, and water fountains.
The museum shows some of Evita's trend setting outfits, including a stunning black suit, she wore during her last public appearence on the famous balcony of the Casa Rosada, before her untimely death.
She had an incredible sense of chic, and her many hats displayed in the museum bring back memories of Forties Paris fashion. Today's fascinators are not even a faint second to her head coverings...
The famous hat, she wore during her swansong before her death. A video of her passionate ultimate speech to 'her Argentinians' and her plea 'that Argentina should not cry for her' is played in the background, over and over again. In the video, her voice, weakened and broken, is broadcasted over crowded Plaza de Mayo. She defends her actions as those of altruism and selfless devotion to Argentina, defying accusations of her enemies that she did what she did to increase her own fame and fortune. Finally she collapses into the arms of the Reason of her Life, Peron.
She died a few days later, thousands and thousands of grieving Argentinians passed her coffin to weep final tears of good bye.
Her elaborate state funeral, which brought out almost every citizen of Buenos Aires and half of Argentina did not end in a burial but in a bizzarre post mortem journey around the globe.
After her death, her perfectly preserved and embalmed body wandered the world for many years, accompanied by her personal embalmer who kept her body in prime condition. She - or one of her duplicates - was entombed in various countries under various names, before she finally returned 'home' and her family crypt in Recoleta Cemetery.
Her most prevailing desire - never to be forgotten - is fulfilled. She worked all her life to create an unforgettable image of herself as The Great Benefactress of her Argentinian Descamisados.
She succeeded in not being forgotten.
For Argentinians, she is neither Saint, nor Demon, she is just 'Evita' and her memory still awakens passions in everyone, follower or enemy.
