Augusto Bernardino Leguia

Leguía, Augusto Bernardino (1863–1932) Peruvian statesman. As leader of the Civilian Party Leguía was Prime Minister of Peru (1903–08) and President (1908–12, 1919–30). During his first term in office he settled frontier disputes with Bolivia and Brazil, introduced administrative reforms, and improved the public health system. He was reinstated as President by the army in 1919, introducing a new constitution in 1920. He chose largely to ignore this, governing by increasingly dictatorial methods. His second term saw rapid industrialization, but was adversely affected by the Great DEPRESSION and fall in commodity prices. Criticized also for the TACNA-ARICA SETTLEMENT, he lost popularity and was forced from office by the military.

Augusto Bernardino Leguía , 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, but increased the national debt and suppressed all opposition harshly. In 1929 the Tacna-Arica Controversy with Chile, which had begun in 1883, was finally resolved, but Leguía was bitterly criticized for accepting the compromise. Coupled with the economic depression, his financial dealings, and his harsh rule, the reaction brought about his overthrow. He was charged with misappropriating government funds and imprisoned.