Peron's coffin, on wheels and pulled by a military truck, first went to the headquarters of the country's biggest labor union, the General Labor Confederation, where about 3,000 people waited, singing the party's march. The journey continued to a mausoleum built at the house -- now a museum -- in San Vicente, about 50 kilometers (30 miles) south of the city.

``Peron is still alive as a political and historic figure of this country,'' Ricardo Rouvier, a political analyst at Rouvier & Asociados in Buenos Aires, said in a telephone interview. ``It was an old wish of the Peronists to have Peron's body in the house that belonged to him so he can rest in a place related to his history.''

The move, made at the union's request, takes place on the 61st anniversary of the date Peron was freed from jail as a result of massive street protests after President Edelmiro Farrell ordered him locked up. Four months later, in February 1946, he won his first presidential election.

President Nestor Kirchner is slated to attend the San Vicente ceremony, the Presidential palace press office said.

Crowds clambered to touch the flag-wrapped coffin at union headquarters and television coverage at San Vicente showed stone-throwing clashes between workers from rival unions who, according to the Web site of the newspaper Clarin, were jockeying for their position in the events.

`Cultural Decadence'

``This ceremony shows the moral and cultural decadence of politicians who weren't capable of building a common project, and use the myth to manipulate political interests,'' Claudio Negrete, author of ``Las Manos de Peron'' or ``The hands of Peron,'' said in telephone interview. The book concerns the invasion of Peron's first tomb in 1987 by thieves who removed his hands, a crime that has never been solved.

Peron, who died July 1, 1974, remains Argentina's most influential political figure. His legacy is claimed by the majority of Argentine politicians, including Kirchner and his predecessor Eduardo Duhalde, who met with labor unions this morning at the CGT headquarters. Peron and Evita are still venerated by many Argentines as the leaders of the poor and workers.

``Peron's death was as painful for me as my own dad's death,'' Omar Larroca, 58, a former worker and union leader at a packaging factory in the 1970's, said in an interview at the entrance of the labor union headquarters. ``He gave back workers their rights, he was the only one who claimed the workers' rights.''

The wooden coffin with Peron's body, covered with an Argentine flag and a military hat, was escorted by cavalry through the streets of Buenos Aires, while people threw flowers.

``I still remember millions of white handkerchief in the streets of Buenos Aires as a sign of sadness when Peron died,'' said Hugo Cordoba, 57, a textile worker. ``I know he wanted to rest in that house, so he deserves to be there, that's why I'm here.''

With reporting by Daniel Helft in Buenos Aires