Documents for "Peru History: Biographies":

• Abascal, José Fernando de 1743-1827, Spanish viceroy of Peru (1806-16). During the South American revolt against the colonial rule of Spain, he skillfully reconciled the Spanish officials and the creole colonials of Peru...

• Balta, José 1816-72, president of Peru (1868-72). In 1865 he helped Mariano I. Prado to seize the presidency and served in his government, but in 1867 Balta led in overthrowing the dictatorship. As president,...

• Belaúnde Terry, Fernando 1912-2002, president of Peru (1963-68, 1980-85). A successful architect, he served in the chamber of deputies (1945-48), formed the Popular Action party in 1956, and ran unsuccessfully for...

• Cáceres, Andrés Avelino 1836?-1923, president of Peru (1886-90, 1894). He was a commander in the war with Chile (see Pacific, War of the ) and continued to wage guerrilla warfare long after Peru had been conquered. Bitterly opposed to the peace made by the government of Miguel Iglesias , Cáceres attempted to seize control in 1884, but failed. Gathering more troops, he entered Lima in 1885 and forced Iglesias to hold an election. Cáceres was chosen president. In 1894 his party...

• Castilla, Ramón 1797-1867, president of Peru (1845-51, 1855-62). He fought under Antonio José de Sucre in the revolution against Spain (1821-24) in Peru and took part in the civil wars that followed. An army general, energetic and resolute, he twice eliminated his rivals by armed force to become...

• Castro, Vaca de see Vaca de Castro, Cristóbal.

• Chinchón, Luis Jerónimo Fernández de Cabrera Bobadilla Cerda y Mendoza, conde de d. 1647, viceroy of Peru (1629-39). He sent Cristóbal de Acuña on the Teixeira expedition down the Amazon. In 1638, Chinchón's wife, suffering from persistent fever, was treated with a native...

• Fujimori, Alberto 1938-, president of Peru (1990-2000), b. Lima, Peru. The son of Japanese immigrants, he was educated in Peru and attended Univ. of Wisconsin. Fujimori was an unknown economist when he scored an...

• Gasca, Pedro de la c.1485-1567?, Spanish colonial administrator. A priest as well as a lawyer, he was selected by Charles V to end the anarchy prevailing in Peru. He arrived in 1547 after the death of the viceroy...

• Haya de la Torre, Víctor Raúl 1895-1979, Peruvian political leader, founder of the APRA party. Although he never held power and spent much of his political life in exile or in prison, he had great influence on contemporary hemispheric politics. A leading advocate of nationalist...

• Iglesias, Miguel 1822-1901, president of Peru (1881-85). A general, he fought in the war with Chile (see Pacific, War of the ), distinguishing himself in the defense (1881) of Lima. Because the government failed to meet Chilean demands, Iglesias, supported by Chile, assumed the presidency and accepted the harsh terms of...

• Leguía, Augusto Bernardino 1863-1932, president of Peru (1908-12, 1919-30). In his second administration Leguía promulgated a new constitution (1920), expanded and developed Lima, and considerably modernized his country,...

• Mariátegui, José Carlos 1895-1930, Peruvian writer and political leader. Of a poor family, he was a tubercular from childhood but rose to prominence as a self-taught journalist. He studied in Europe and became a...

• Núñez Vela, Blasco d. 1546, first viceroy of Peru (1544-46). Sent to replace Vaca de Castro and to enforce the New Laws of Bartolomé de Las Casas , he had a violent, short career. He antagonized all in command and either ordered a murder or committed it himself. He was arrested and put on a ship for Spain, but landed at Tumbez, was defeated...

• Odría, Manuel 1897-1974, president of Peru (1948-56). A conservative general, he became army chief of staff in 1946 and seized power (1948) after leading an anti-APRA coup that forced Víctor Raúl Haya de la Torre to seek asylum. He was legally elected president in 1950. With dictatorial methods, some brutal, he consolidated his power and instituted extensive economic reforms. In 1956, Odría permitted an...

• Pérez de Cuéllar, Javier 1920-, Peruvian diplomat, secretary-general of the United Nations (1982-92). He entered the Peruvian foreign service in 1940 and served in several posts, including ambassador to the USSR (1969-71) and the United Nations (1971-75). He represented the United...

• Pardo, Manuel 1834-78, president of Peru (1872-76). After assisting José Balta in establishing a constitutional government, Pardo succeeded him as president. To recover from the monetary ruin brought on Peru by the Balta regime, he advocated financial and administrative...

• Piérola, Nicolás de 1839-1913, president of Peru (1879-81, 1895-99). Minister of finance under José Balta, he was accused of misappropriating funds and was exiled. From Chile he invaded Peru and unsuccessfully...

• Prado, Mariano Ignacio 1826-1901, president of Peru (1865-67, 1878-79). He aided Ramón Castilla in the revolution of 1854. Indignant at the treaty that compensated Spain for losses during the revolution—a treaty he considered humiliating to Peru—Prado led a revolution. He became dictator and...

• Pumacagua, Mateo García 1738-1815, Peruvian Native American leader. He aided in suppressing the insurrection (1780-81) of Tupac Amaru and later the first rebellion in the war against Spain; in 1814, however, he led an...

• Serna, José de la 1770-1832, Spanish general, viceroy of Peru (1821-24). In 1821 the military leaders, dissatisfied with Viceroy Pezuela and his conduct of the war against José de San Martín , deposed Pezuela and named José de la Serna in his place; he was confirmed in the office by Spain. Forced to evacuate Lima, he made Cuzco his capital and preserved some show of royal government...

• Toledo Manrique, Alejandro 1946-, Peruvian political leader, president of Peru (2001-). Toledo, who has indigenous Andean roots, was born into poverty in rural Peru and grew up in the port city of Chimbote. Industrious,...

• Toledo, Francisco de 1515?-84, Spanish viceroy of Peru (1569-81). He came from one of the noblest families of Spain and had served Charles V and Philip II with distinction before being chosen as viceroy. His...

• Tupac Amaru 1742?-1781, leader of indigenous peoples in Peru, baptized José Gabriel Condorcanqui. A man of some education and of high moral character, he sympathized with the plight of the native people of...

• Vaca de Castro, Cristóbal fl. 1540-45, Spanish colonial administrator in Peru. A judge of the royal audiencia at Valladolid, he was chosen by Charles V to restore order between the Pizarro and the Almagro factions. He was...

• Vela, Blasco Núñez see Núñez Vela, Blasco.

• Velasco Alvarado, Juan 1910-77, president of Peru (1968-75). Born of working class parents, he entered the army (1929) and rose to the rank of general. As army commander in chief, he led (1968) the junta that deposed...