Manuel Apolinario Odría Amoretti (Tarma, November 26th 1897 - Lima, February 18th 1974) was president Peru of 1948 with 1956. It was carried to the capacity by a military coup d'etat.

Youths

Odría was born in 1897 with Tarma, a city of the the central Andes in the east of Lima. It finishes major of its promotion at the Military academy of Chorrillos in 1915. During its military career, he arrives at the rank of Lieutenant-colonel. He illustrates himself at the time of the War with the Ecuador in 1941, in particular with the battle of Zarumilla. Thereafter, it is quickly promoted Général.

" El Ochenio"

In 1945, Jose Luis Bustamante Rivero reaches there the presidency with the support of Alianza Popular Revolucionaria Americana (American revolutionary popular Alliance). Important dissensions occur between Víctor Raúl Haya of Torre, the founder of American revolutionary popular Alliance and president Bustamante there Rivero. The president dissolves his cabinet Apriste and replaces it by a cabinet mainly military. Odría, a wild adversary of American revolutionary popular Alliance, is named Minister of Interior Department. In 1948, Odría and other elements of right-hand side insist near President Bustamante there Rivero so that American revolutionary popular Alliance is proscribed. But the president refuses, Odría resigns. The October 29th 1948, it carries out with a success a Coup d'etat and assumes the chairmanship of a military Junte until in 1950. He convenes general elections then and is presented in the form of an one applicant to the presidency. He makes imprison his principal opposing the Montagne general. The May 30th, it gives its capacities to the general Zenón Noriega to take part in the elections and he becomes constitutional president of Peru the July 28th.

The government of Odría, known like " el Ochenio" (l'" Octennat"), presents analogies with the dictatorship of Juan Domingo Perón in Argentine. Odría represses hard American revolutionary popular Alliance and the Communists, and temporarily has the favors of oligarchy and the right-hand side. But as that of Perón, its capacity takes a populist turning which makes it appreciate the poor and the least favoured layers of the population. An economy thrives enables him to conclude an industrial relations policy. The September 7th 1955, the women obtain the right to vote. Under its mandate are instituted the Social security of the Employees, the working Sunday wages, the National Fund of Health, Fond National of Education, a National plan of Education. On the economic plan, the exchange control is removed, which cause a drop in the local currency vis-a-vis the dollar and promotes exports of raw materials and agricultural produce (cotton, sugar…). Agreements are concluded for the exploitation from the layers from iron from Marcona and copper from Toquepala. One builds the diversion canal of Rio Quiroz and the tank of San Lorenzo in the Région of Piura which makes it possible to irrigate new grounds. Started under the former mode, the installation of the lagoon of Choclococha in the Area of Huancavelica, with its derivation towards the coastal valley of Ica, is finished. On the international plan, it signs economic cooperation agreements and cultural with the Brésil. Like the Chile and the Ecuador, it decides to extend the maritime sovereignty to the 200 miles, which disturbs the the United States whose ships fish in this zone.

But in same time the civil laws are severely restricted and a crawling corruption gains all the mode. It was feared that this dictatorship does not last for ever; Odría creates the surprise while deciding to convene general elections in 1956 to which it does not present. These elections are gained by the former president Manuel Prado Ugarteche.

Opposition to president Belaúnde

To the general elections of 1962, Odría is presented in the form of a right-wing candidate for Unión Nacional Odriista. None the most important candidates (Odria, Haya of Torre and Fernando Belaúnde Terry) obtains one the third of the votes which is necessary to be elected. It appears that Odria will gain the presidency of the Congress, after the concluding of an agreement with Haya of Torre, but a military coup d'etat reverses president Prado a few days before does not finish its mandate. New elections are convened in 1963 with the same candidates as in 1962, gained by Belaúnde with 36% of the voices.

During the presidency of Belaúnde, Odría is combined with Haya of Torre to form a group of opposition to the Parliament, the coalition American revolutionary popular Alliance - Unión Nacional Odriísta. They obstruct sufficiently President Belaúnde, to force it to make them important concessions. This coalition undergoes a reverse with the loss of the elections for the town hall of the capital, Lima. After the military coup d'etat of 1968, Odría is erased political life until its death in 1974.

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