Fernando Belaúnde Terry

Fernando Belaúnde Terry (Lima, October 7th 1912 - Lima, June 4th 2002) was a Architecte and Peruvian Politician which was president Peru twice, of 1963 with 1968 and of 1980 with 1985. It founded the party Acción Popular.

Youths

Fernando Belaúnde Terry was born in a family from Spanish ascent easy from Lima. During the dictatorship of Augusto B. Leguía there Salcedo, his/her Rafael father and his uncle Víctor Andrés Belaúnde were persecuted and the family was forced to exile itself in France in 1924. Fernando began studies of engineer there. Of 1930 with 1935, Belaúnde studied the Architecture with the the United States, with the Université of Miami (where his/her father taught), then as from 1935 with the Université of Texas to Austin, where it obtained his diploma for the occupation of architect. It left to Mexico City to work as architect for one short period, but it returned to Peru in 1936. It began its professional path by designing dwellings. In 1937, it launched the review El Arquitecto Peruano (" the Péruvien" Architect;), which treated interior installation, of town planning and housing problems with which the country was confronted. This gave place to the creation of the Association of the Architects of Peru and the Institute of Town planning of Peru. Belaúnde became thus consulting for the questions of housing near the government of its country and abroad. In 1943, Belaúnde started to teach architecture and the Urbanisme with the Catholic Université of Lima and was thereafter senior of the department of Civil Engineering and Architecture. Belaúnde directed the construction of the faculty of architecture of the Universidad Nacional de Ingeniería in 1955.

Political career

1944-1963

Fernando Belaúnde Terry begins its political career while taking part in the creation of Front National Démocratique in 1944, of which he is appointed of 1945 to 1948, and who leads to the capacity Jose Bustamante there Rivero until the coup d'etat of the general Manuel Odría in 1948.

Belaúnde returns in policy in 1956, at the time of new elections at the request of students reformists, of which some were its pupils, gathered within the organization " Front National of the Démocrates" Young people;.

It becomes famous on June 1st, after the refusal of its candidature for the elections, with the head of a great demonstration called " manguerazo" because of the water cannons used by the police force. Confrontation being likely to turn to the riot, Belaúnde makes watch of a gift for the symbolic gestures which will serve it throughout its political career, calming crowd and springing with a Peruvian flag in space separating the demonstrators from the police force. It then gives an ultimatum to the chief of the police force asking so that its candidature be validated. The government must accept, and the image shock of Belaúnde going with the flag was taken again the next day by the magazine Caretas , in an article titrated " Así Nacen Los Lideres" (" Thus are born the leaders").

It is thus presented, but without success, with the presidential election and founds in the tread the party Acción Popular. An opposition party with the name of which he traverses the country.

In 1959, the Prado government refuses to authorize the annual convention of the party Acción Popular. Belaúnde passes in addition to, the government stops it and imprisons it in the prison El Frontón off the town of Lima. It spends 12 days there, during which it fails in an escape bid the stroke. Under the pressure of the opinion, the government must release it and give up its continuations.

At the head of its party, it arrives second at the presidential election of 1962, behind the candidate of the American revolutionary popular Alliance Víctor Raúl Haya of Torre. But none the candidates has the third of the voice necessary to carry it. The chairman appointment returns to the Congress. Haya of Torre concludes an alliance with the former Odría dictator thanks to whom this last obtains the presidency. A coalition government must be formed, but the Peruvian army intervenes on suspicions of electoral fraud, and deposits Prado and installs a military Junte led by Ricardo Pérez Godoy. Godoy convenes new elections in 1963.

First presidential mandate

In 1963, Belaúnde gains these elections combined with the Christian-Democrats and the semi-official support of the Communist party. But it does not have the majority with the Congress of the Republic, where the coalition American revolutionary popular Alliance - Unión Nacional Odriísta embarrassment its work. It pursues a moderate policy and launches shy persons reforms who satisfy neither the popular classes nor the middle-class. It launched many development projects. In particular the Marginal Carretera of Selva , a road connecting Chiclayo on the Pacific to areas then isolated from the selva of the North of Peru, Amazonas and San Martín.
Il also gave fresh impulse to the projects of irrigation Santiago Antunez de Mayolo and Chira Piura, and the hydroelectric projects of Tinajones, Jequetepeque, Majes, Chavimochic, Olmos, Chinecas. Belaúnde supervised the foundation of the Bank of Peru (Banco of Nación). To relieve poverty, it launched a program of social housing to Lima and in other cities. However its administration was criticized for its unhappy economic policy, the ground is strongly devaluated in 1967. During its mandate of risings of peasants and beginnings of Guérilla are repressed by the army.

In August 1968, the Belaúnde administration off announces the engagement of a long-term procedure with a subsidiary company of the oil company Standard Oil New Jersey for the restitution of oil the rich person reservoirs of Brea and Pariñas. The decision of Belaúnde to compensate the Standard Oil exchanges their restitution in Peru of it sows the agitation and constrained its cabinet to resign on October 1st.

Faintness increases when it proves that the text of agreement communicated to the press by Belaúnde is amputee of eleventh and last page. The missing page eleven becomes a business and is shown on television. The amount of the contribution there is seen that Belaúnde promised to pay. Several days afterwards, Belaúnde is relieved by a military coup d'etat. Its successor, the general Juan Velasco Alvarado announces several days after the soldiers took the control of the oil-bearing fields of Brea and Pariñas. Belaúnde is sent in exile in Argentine.

Second presidential mandate

Incompetent to control the country, the government of Francisco Morales Bermúdez Cerruti promises new elections in 1980. Belaúnde is authorized to return of exile and to present its candidature for the presidency. Supported by most of the electorate, and with the American revolutionary popular Alliance in prey with divisions, it returns to the capacity in 1980 within the framework of a new constitution promulgated in 1979 (which replaced the Constitution of 1933).

One of the first measurements of the President is to return to their owners the confiscated newspapers. The Freedom of expression is thus restored. Little by little, it tries to reconsider the most radical effects of the Land reform of Velasco, and operates a bringing together with the United States.

After a promising beginning, the popularity of Belaúnde erodes with the Inflation, the economic crisis, and the Terrorisme: the returned per capita drops, the Foreign debt of Peru explodes, and the violences perpetrated by the rebellious groups of Extreme left (mainly the luminous Sentier) do not cease increasing.

In 1981, a conflict bursts with the Ecuador.

When in 1982 bursts the Guerre of the Falklands between the Argentine and the the United Kingdom, Belaúnde announces that the " Peru is ready to help Argentina with all the nécessaires" means; , in particular with fighters of the Peruvian Air force, ships and medical teams. The government of Belaúnde proposes a peace plan between the two countries, but the British reject it and tackle the Argentinas forces deployed in the Falklands. As the Chile supports the United Kingdom, Belaúnde calls with the Latin-American unit.

It takes again the development projects planned during its first mandate, in particular the end of the construction of the Carretera Marginal of Selva which is regarded as its greater contribution.

Belaúnde did not lend war attention to the actions of the luminous Sentier. The rebel movements were already active at the time of its first mandate, but without much of support. But of the representatives of the State and the rebels were thereafter marked of violations of the Human rights, and the state of emergency was instituted in the areas of Ayacucho and Apurímac.

Acción Popular loses the capacity

With the general elections of 1985, the party Acción Popular, is beaten by the candidate of American revolutionary popular Alliance Alan García. Belaúnde becomes senator with life as very former president until the Constitution of 1993 removes the senate.

In 1990, it supports Mario Vargas Llosa, candidate with the presidency vis-a-vis Alberto Fujimori. Thereafter, there ceases taking part actively in the play Politique while remaining regarded as a leader of opinion and while remaining general secretary of its party until August 2001. He succumbs to an brain attack in June 2002.

He was recognized for his integrity and his devotion to the Démocratie. According to a survey of the January 13rd 2006, he is the president more appreciated Peruvian (70%).

Bonds