Ernesto 'Che' Guevara, the
international revolutionary, and Eva 'Evita' Peron, Argentina's influential First Lady during
Juan Peron's first term as President, are perhaps the most recognizable Argentines of the 20th century. Che's bearded, beret-wearing image leaps out at every
protest demonstration, whether it is a sit-in for higher wages, a walk for the cause of peace, or a fiery protest against
international trade talks, while Eva Peron has become an unofficial saint in the country of her birth, apart from being the subject of theatrical musicals and a Hollywood movie. This essay compares and contrasts the lives and times of these two enduring icons whose legacies transcend borders and generations.