1939: Peru

Constitutional Changes.

Constitutional status was given the dictatorship of President Oscar R. Benavides when ten amendments to the Constitution of 1933, submitted to a national plebiscite on June 18, were approved. Although the amendments greatly strengthen the powers of the President at the expense of the Legislature, the Congress was restored and rule by decree abolished. According to these constitutional changes, the terms of the President and the Deputies are extended from five to six years; the executive alone is empowered to approve or suppress taxes, to approve customs and tariffs, and to increase or decrease the number of public employees; the presidential veto power is restored, with a three-fifths vote necessary to override it; the Congress is enabled, when it recesses, to give the executive full powers; the national budget is automatically enforced on Jan. 1, whether or not Congress has approved it; the premier shall not be compelled to go before Congress to make statements on executive policies, and Deputies and Senators, individually, may no longer request information from Government departments. An amendment repealing proportionate representation of the political minority in Congress was aimed at the APRA to prevent it from obtaining control of the government and interrupting the 'rising rhythm of national activity.'

Elections.

Presidential and general elections were held on Oct. 22. The final vote gave Manuel Prado, candidate of a coalition of twelve Rightist parties supporting the Benavides administration, a vote of 262,971 over his opponent, José Quesada, who polled 76,142 votes. Quesada represented the Revolutionary Union and, also, the Patriotic Front, a somewhat liberal organization opposed to the dictatorial methods of Benavides. The Aprista Party was forbidden to participate in the elections. Prado's inauguration on Dec. 8 gives Peru its first civilian president since 1930. The new president, a close friend of Benavides, promises a moderate régime.

Internal Affairs.

The most constructive work of the Benavides administration has been the road-building program, initiated in 1937 and rapidly pushed to completion. According to current estimates, by the end of 1939, 1,250 miles of asphalted road were completed at a cost of $20,000,000.

The world cotton situation and a poor crop in 1938 accounted for the decline in Peruvian exports in that year from 1937, but total imports for the year were well above all previous figures. Since Peru is not a single-commodity country, although cotton is the basis of its coastal economy, the economic progress of the Republic was not seriously affected by the decline in cotton.

The border dispute with Ecuador threatened to become active in September, but the incident was played down by both Governments. President Prado, in a campaign interview, promised to work for settlement of this controversy.