On Biography.com, learn more about Juan Perón, the controversial three-time president of Argentina and founder of the Peronist movement. Juan Perón was a military officer and politician who was elected president of Argentina three times. Synopsis Juan Perón was born in Lobos, Argentina, on October 8, 1895. Trained as a military officer, Perón rose to political power following a coup. His three-term presidency led to the reshaping of the Argentine economy along with restrictions on civil liberties.