Today we took a walking tour around Recoleta and the Recoleta Cemetery. On the way to the cemetery we saw many historical buildings like monuments to soldiers, embassies to other nations and many churches. Recoleta is known for its open air market which we went around to immerse ourselves in their culture. The cemetery held many powerful and influencial figures in Argentinian history. It ranged from rich families to prior presidents. Our tour guide gave us many stories about the people buried there and the history behind the cemetery. Evita is also buried there, however, her husband, Juan Perón is not.

Perón is one of the most influential political figures in Argentinian history, with many of his ideals being present in their society today. Perón was a populist, meaning he gave a lot of thought to benefitting the people through his policies. He gave a lot of power to the unions early in his presidency. He established many worker’s rights and took an active role in negotiating between hospitals and unions. Perón supported progressive movements that helped the people and encouraged the healthcare system to become public. Through many reforms and laws, he was able to create a strong public healthcare system on top of establishing the union healthcare system during his presidency. Perón was the president, meaning he hired many like-minded individuals to high positions in his cabinets. He hired his Minister of Health, Ramón Carrillo, who was also progressive and contributed much to expanding the healthcare system and increasing access to the public. Perón shaped the political landscape of Argentina, with many parties in the country being related to Peronist movement. He was incredibly popular with the people of Argentina, so much so that the support for his policies remained even when their economies were waning due to world financial crises. Perón’s healthcare system has not been radically changed since his death, however, Milei, the current president, is beginning to open the country up to a new system revolving around the private market. While the private system existed under Perón, he emphasized the public and union systems more.