Manuel A. Odría

Manuel A. Odría, in full Manuel Arturo Odría Amoretti
(born November 26, 1897, Tarma, Peru—died February 18, 1974, Lima), president of Peru from 1948 to 1956.

Odría was born into a family that had a tradition of military service, which he extended by becoming a career army officer. He graduated from military school in 1919 and from the War College in 1930. Promoted to brigadier general in 1946, he was named army chief of staff and, in 1947, minister of the interior and chief of police under Pres. José Bustamente. In October 1948 he headed a military junta which deposed Bustamente and Odría was proclaimed provisional president. Odría promptly dissolved the legislature, declared military rule, and proceeded to take measures to restore the Peruvian economy and political stability, seeking technical assistance and private investment from the United States. He resigned temporarily on June 1, 1950, to run unopposed for election and was inaugurated July 28.

His administration was characterized by repressive political tactics to silence the opposition. The economy initially expanded under his laissez-faire economic policies, but by the end of his term Odría found himself unable to cope with a mounting trade deficit and rapid inflation. Labour unrest and public protests against the regime’s authoritarianism forced Odría to allow a free election in 1956.

Odría, who did not run for reelection, went into self-imposed exile, spending much of his time in the United States. In 1962 and 1963 he ran again for president, placing third in the balloting.