Manuel Prado Ugarteche

Manuel Prado Ugarteche, born on April twenty-first, eighteen eighty-nine in Lima, was a prominent Peruvian politician and banker. He was the son of former President Mariano Ignacio Prado and grew up in a politically charged environment. His brother, Leoncio Prado Gutiérrez, was a celebrated military hero who tragically passed away in eighteen eighty-three, six years prior to Manuel's birth.

Prado's political career began in earnest in nineteen fourteen when he, alongside General Benavides, orchestrated the overthrow of President Guillermo Billinghurst during a period when Peru maintained neutrality in the First World War. Following this coup, he faced imprisonment and subsequent deportation to Chile, eventually finding refuge in France. After returning to Peru in nineteen thirty-two, he took on significant roles, including chairman of the board of the Peruvian Vapores Company and president of the Central Reserve Bank of Peru from nineteen thirty-four to nineteen thirty-nine.

In nineteen thirty-nine, Prado won the presidential elections and led the country through a pivotal time, notably achieving victory against Ecuador in the Ecuadorian-Peruvian War. His administration marked a significant shift in Peru's foreign policy as it became the first South American nation to sever ties with the Axis powers during World War II. After completing his first term in nineteen forty-five, he spent time in Paris before returning to politics.

Prado's second term began in nineteen fifty-six after defeating Belaunde in the elections. He aligned Peru with the United States during the Cold War, but his presidency was cut short in nineteen sixty-two when he was deposed in a coup led by Ricardo Perez Godoy. Following this, he went into exile once more in Paris, where he passed away in nineteen sixty-seven.