Her schedule was hectic during this time.  At Radio Belgrano, in addition to her morning talks, she performed in an afternoon radio play, and continued the biographies of famous women series at night.  In May she was elected president of the Argentine Radio Association.  And with the prestige she enjoyed as the established paramour of the most powerful man in the country, she was offered a movie contract for a major film, “La Cabalgata del Circo (Circus Calvacade).  This was immediately followed by the leading role in “La Prodiga” (The Prodigal Woman).  Almost simultaneously, her transformation into a political figure had begun.  Perón seems to be have realized the full extent of her political cachet, and she appeared at his side everywhere, accompanying him to demonstrations and even campaigning for him.  By the time the second film was finished, Perón was president and it was never released.  It is believed that Eva ordered the film withheld because she felt her former public persona as an actress was incompatible with her new role as First Lady.  This was only one of many instances of the Peróns’ pressure on the media during their years in power.      By this time, Perón had become more and more of an irritant not only to the opposition, but to the other colonels with whom he had overthrown the civilian government.  They were annoyed by his increasing prominence among them, and further provoked by the continual presence of his very vocal, very visible companion, who stood not behind him, which would have been socially acceptable, but beside him, sharing both his interests and his struggles in a confluence of two uncommon personalities who realized that they complemented one another.      The brewing conflict came to a head on October 13, 1945, when a faction of officers arrested Perón and forced him to resign from all posts.  While there was significant support for this action from the middle and upper classes, these events deeply stirred the workers, who realized that the fall of Perón would wipe out his pro-labor policies and all the victories they had achieved.  On October 17, the work class descended upon Buenos Aires from all quarters of Argentina in larger numbers than anyone could have imagined.  They converged at the Plaza de Mayo and demanded the presence of Perón.     Whether Evita had a hand in mobilizing the workers, the first direct intervention by the masses in Argentina’s politics, is unclear and remains the subject of debate.  Eva never explicitly confirmed or denied that she had helped orchestrate the mass movement to the Plaza de Mayo.  Her position at the time makes it seem unlikely that she was the driving force behind Perónism: she was, after all, not yet Perón’s wife.  At the same time, given her character and all that was at stake at this critical juncture, it is difficult to imagine her completely passive.  In a letter Perón wrote to Eva during his brief imprisonment, he spoke of requesting a discharge, marrying her, and going off “someplace to lead a quiet life.”  His captors, in the face of the riotous crowds, quickly released him.  By the time Perón appeared that night on the balcony of the Casa Rosada, the governmental palace facing the Plaza de Mayo, and announced to the cheering throng that elections would be held, a leader had been born, and the setting for Perón’s contact with the people—the balcony on the Plaza de Mayo—had been established.  He won the elections in February 1946 with the steadfast help of his new wife, Eva Duarte de Perón, whom he had married in October, days after being released, but there would no quiet life for either of them.
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