Juan Velasco Alvarado
Juan Francisco Velasco Alvarado (June 16, 1910 – December 24, 1977) was a Peruvian general who served as the President of Peru after a successful coup d'état against Fernando Belaúnde's presidency in 1968. Under his presidency, nationalism, as well as left-leaning policies of state capitalism that addressed indigenous Peruvians, such as nationalization or agrarian reform were adopted. These policies were reversed after another coup d'état in 1975 led by his Prime Minister, Francisco Morales Bermúdez.
Juan Velasco Alvarado | |
|---|---|
| 50th President of Peru | |
1st President of the Revolutionary Government of the Armed Forces | |
| In office October 3, 1968 – August 30, 1975 | |
| Prime Minister | Ernesto Montagne Sánchez Luis Edgardo Mercado Jarrín Francisco Morales Bermúdez |
| Preceded by | Fernando Belaúnde |
| Succeeded by | Francisco Morales Bermúdez |
| General Commander of the Peruvian Army | |
| In office 1967–1968 | |
| President | Fernando Belaúnde Terry |
| Preceded by | Julio Doig Sánchez |
| Succeeded by | Ernesto Montagne Sánchez |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Juan Francisco Velasco Alvarado June 16, 1910 Castilla, Peru |
| Died | December 24, 1977 (aged 67) Lima, Peru |
| Spouse | |
| Profession | Military officer |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | Peru |
| Branch/service | Peruvian Army |
| Rank | General |
Velasco had a confrontational foreign policy towards the United States, as he pushed for renegotiation of treaties and criticized what he perceived as a pernicious dependence of Latin American states on the United States. While he strengthened Peruvian relations with the Soviet Union, Velasco was firmly anti-communist. His foreign policy has been described as "third way."