Famous Argentines
Carlos Gardel: the popular hero of tango. Gardel made his name as a tango singer in the 1920s and 30s. He invented the tango-song genre. He died in a tragic plane crash in Colombia in 1935. Among his most famous songs are "Mi Buenos Aires querido" (My beloved Buenos Aires), "Soledad" (Loneliness), and "El día que me quieras" (The day you love me).
Che Guevara: revolutionary, writer, politician, doctor and popular legend. Ernest Guevara or “El Che” dedicated his life to fighting against social injustice. He was one of the ideological leaders of the Cuban Revolution (1953-’59) and led various revolutions in Latin American and Africa. He was executed in Bolivia in 1967. The face of Che, a symbol of the countercultural movement, is one of the most reproduced images in the world.
Evita: Maria Eva Duarte de Perón was Argentina’s First Lady and second wife to Juan Domingo Perón (president from 1946 to 1955 and 1973 to 1974). This small town girl of humble background reinvented herself as a popular icon among the working classes when she entered political life. Evita led the populist Peronist movement alongside her husband until she died of cancer at the age of 33 in 1952. Her tomb can be visited in Buenos Aires’ Recoleta cemetery.
Maradona: Diego Armando Maradona, who grew up in a shanty town in southern Buenos Aires, is considered to be one of the greatest football players of all time. He played for Argentina when they won the 1986 World Cup and were runners up in the 1990 World Cup. He previously won the 1979 World Youth Championship with the junior squad. Maradona was voted “Player of the century” by FIFA in 2001. He is currently Technical Director of the Argentine national football team.
Jorge Luís Borges: one of the most acclaimed literary writers of the 20th century. His short stories, essays and poems transcend genres. During his life, Borges was distinguished by various universities and governments and won numerous prizes, including the Cervantes award for literature in 1980. The works of Borges have been adapted into films and translated into over 25 languages.
Fangio: Juan Manuel Fangio, or “el Maestro” (the Master) as the Argentines call him, was five times Formula 1 World Champion. He is the only Formula 1 driver ever to have won with four different makes of car (Alfa Romeo, Maserati, Ferrari y Mercedes-Benz). This shy man reached levels of racing excellence that will never be equalled. He died in 1995, aged 84.
Useful info
Tips_
- Argentina’s first rally took place in Cordoba in 1968. Initially races were between the members of the Cordoba Driving Association and did not draw crowds. With time, rally has become one of Argentina’s most popular sports.
- The house where Carlos Gardel lived in the Abasto area of Buenos Aires is now a museum dedicated to his life.
