Isabel Martínez de Perón

María Estela Martínez de Perón (born on February 4, 1931, in La Rioja, Argentina) better known as Isabel Martínez de Perón would become the third wife of Argentine President Juan Perón and serve as President of Argentina in her own right from July 1 1974 to March 24 1976.

Related Topics:
February 4 - 1931 - La Rioja - Argentina - Juan Perón - President of Argentina - July 1 - 1974 - March 24 - 1976

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She met her future husband during his exile in Panama. At the time Isabel was a nightclub dancer. Perón was attracted to her beauty and believed she could provide him with the female companionship he had been lacking since the death of his second wife, Evita.

Related Topics:
Panama - Evita

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Perón brought Isabel with him when he moved to Spain in 1960. Authorities in the strongly Roman Catholic nation did not approve of Perón's living arrangements with this young woman, so in 1961 the former president reluctantly got married for a third time.

Related Topics:
Spain - 1960 - Roman Catholic - 1961

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As Perón began to return to an active role in Argentine politics, Isabel would often be used as a go-between from Spain to South America. Having been deposed in a coup years prior, Perón was forbidden from returning to Argentina, so his new wife would travel in his stead and report back to him when she returned.

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It was also around this time that Isabel met José López Rega, an occult philosopher and fortune teller. Isabel was quite interested in such matters, so the two quickly became friends. Under pressure from Isabel, Perón appointed López as his personal secretary.

Related Topics:
José López Rega - Occult - Fortune teller

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In 1973 Perón was persuaded to return to Argentina and run for president. He agreed and, in a surprisingly controversial move, chose Isabel as his running mate.

Related Topics:
1973 - Running mate

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Isabel had very little in the way of political experience or ambitions, and she was a very different personality from Evita, who had been denied the post of vice president years earlier.

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