Ricardo Pérez Godoy

Ricardo Pérez Godoy

Ricardo Pío Pérez Godoy (born June 9, 1905 in Lima ; † July 26, 1982 ibid) was the head of a military junta in Peru from 1962 to 1963 .

In the presidential election of June 10, 1962, three main candidates ran: Víctor Raúl Haya de la Torre . Founder and chairman of APRA , Fernando Belaúnde Terry and the former dictator Manuel A. Odría . According to the official results, Haya de la Torre won with a one percent lead over Belaúnde, but missed the third of the vote required by the Peruvian constitution. Counterfeit allegations were also raised. The decision was now up to the Peruvian Congress ; Haya de la Torre and Odría forged an alliance that would bring Odría to power.

Seizure of power and presidency (1962–1963)

At 3:20 in the morning on July 18, 1962, one of 30 tanks set up drove towards the presidential palace and rammed through the black iron gates. The incumbent constitutional president, Manuel Prado y Ugarteche , was deposed by the military just 10 days before the end of his term in office .

Ricardo Pérez Godoy (as chairman of the Association of Military Commanders) headed the military junta, which consisted of high-ranking military personnel: General Nicolás Lindley López , the commander of the national army ; Vice Admiral Juan Francisco Torres Matos , Commander of the Fleet ; and General Pedro Vargas Prada , Commander of the Peruvian Air Force . After entering the presidential palace, the junta members swore themselves in. They abrogate the constitutional rights, dissolved parliament, imprisoned members of the electoral commission, and promised free and clean elections for June 9, 1963. Nicolás Lindley López was appointed prime minister.

The military coup was condemned around the world: the initial reactions were marked by disapproval and condemnation, which surprised the junta. Nine of the Latin American states suspended or broke off diplomatic relations altogether, as did the United States, which, however, resumed them after a few months and recognized the military government.

Under the motto of a "New Peru", Pérez Godoy implemented an increase in the state budget by 24% and introduced new taxes as counter-financing . This included a $ 1 per tonne levy on anchovies , which led to a strike and threatened the fish processing industry. When Pérez Godoy refused to authorize General Vargas Prada to build a new hospital for the Air Force, the other junta members opposed him.

In early 1963, Pérez Godoy indicated that he would deviate from the original plan to hold elections on June 9 and keep power longer than planned.

Loss of power

After receiving warnings that his junta colleagues were planning his ousting, Pérez Godoy sought the support of regional military commanders and civilian forces. However, his efforts failed. Pedro Vargas Prado and Francisco Torres Matos issued an ultimatum: resignation or dismissal. Pérez Godoy replied: “I refuse to leave the post. It is too late now to continue this conversation. I will go to sleep. ”He was replaced by the second strong man, Nicolás Lindley López, who assumed the presidency on March 3, 1963. Lindley López carried out the new elections as planned, from which Fernando Belaúnde Terry emerged as the winner.

Web links

• Declaration by the military junta of July 18, 1962 (Spanish; PDF file; 54 kB)