Latin America: There She Stands

While his wife was making headlines in Europe, Juan Perón thought it a good time to restate his country’s position in the world. This week, in his first worldwide radio broadcast, he put Argentina on the side of aiding “humanity in the fulfillment of its aspirations for internal and international peace.” But he did more. Said he: “The work to be carried out. . . must consist in the eradication of capitalistic and totalitarian extremism. . . . [It] must be based on the forsaking of antagonistic ideologies and the creation of a world conscience which places man above systems of ideology.”

Argentina, which has always held to a proud and isolated position in world affairs, was ready now to help the world bind up its wounds. Perón offered to join the common cause. But he hoped to keep clear of the struggle between East & West: Argentina would be outside both the Soviet and American blocs.