Peruvian Agrarian Reform
Peruvian Agrarian Reform The government of Juan Velasco Alvarado was considered a regimen of loss and tragedy for the country. At that time the economic crisis was in an alarming state for the population. The previous regime dictated by Fernando Belaúnde, was the cause of this crisis. Agrarian reform was a measure applied by the president to give a better development to Peru. But, in fact, the development was given? Did the agrarian reform really help peasants? To answer these questions will be analyzing and evaluating the ideological position that led the President Velasco to make such reforms.
Fernando Belaúnde 's regime was in a serious economic crisis. The army believed that militaries were the best way to govern a country and the best way to re-develop it economically, politically and socially. Velasco plan a coup to Belaúnde Terry an October of 1968. In the “Ugly stories of the Peruvian agrarian reform”, Enrique Mayer says, “The revolution from above began at dawn on October 3, 1968, when tanks from the armored division of the army rumbled from across the Rimac River in Lima toward the Presidential Palace with an elite corps of rangers. They entered the Presidential Palace, arresting a startled president Fernando Belaúnde and shipping him off to Buenos Aires. General Velasco (the chief of the armed forces) and his small group of co-conspirators were joined by top-ranking officers of the air force and navy to form the Revolutionary Government of the Armed Forces, which remained the same in power over twelve years” (Mayer).
Agrarian reform was intended to deliver all peasant lands in an equitable manner so that the people would not be oppressed by those with the power (the oligarchy). But Velasco did not consider that dealings, apart from affecting the oligarchy and foreign investors, also was affecting the crops as farmers were not people who were trained to manage these vast amounts of land. Besides, having no money meant that the most of the peasants
Fernando Belaúnde 's regime was in a serious economic crisis. The army believed that militaries were the best way to govern a country and the best way to re-develop it economically, politically and socially. Velasco plan a coup to Belaúnde Terry an October of 1968. In the “Ugly stories of the Peruvian agrarian reform”, Enrique Mayer says, “The revolution from above began at dawn on October 3, 1968, when tanks from the armored division of the army rumbled from across the Rimac River in Lima toward the Presidential Palace with an elite corps of rangers. They entered the Presidential Palace, arresting a startled president Fernando Belaúnde and shipping him off to Buenos Aires. General Velasco (the chief of the armed forces) and his small group of co-conspirators were joined by top-ranking officers of the air force and navy to form the Revolutionary Government of the Armed Forces, which remained the same in power over twelve years” (Mayer).
Agrarian reform was intended to deliver all peasant lands in an equitable manner so that the people would not be oppressed by those with the power (the oligarchy). But Velasco did not consider that dealings, apart from affecting the oligarchy and foreign investors, also was affecting the crops as farmers were not people who were trained to manage these vast amounts of land. Besides, having no money meant that the most of the peasants
Cited: Mayer, Enrique. Ugly Stories of the Peruvian Agrarian Reform. Durham: Duke UP, 2009. Print.