Background
He was born in Lambayeque, Feb. 19, 1863.
He was born in Lambayeque, Feb. 19, 1863.
He studied in Valparaiso, Chile.
He served with the Peruvian forces in the War of the Pacific (1879 - 1881).
In 1888 he was engaged in the insurance business in Ecuador. He became Peru's minister of finance in 1903 and served until 1908, when he was elected president for a four-year term. In 1913 he was driven into exile and went to London. He returned to Peru in 1919 and helped to direct the revolution of July 4. He was chosen provisional president and governed until September 1919, when he was elected the constitutional executive. During his subsequent dictatorship he launched an ambitious program of economic improvement, but civil liberties were curtailed and many prominent citizens were exiled. To meet his administration's heavy expenses, he borrowed extensively from abroad, thus imposing a heavy debt on the country. During his administration the Tacna-Arica dispute with Chile was settled. Reelected, he remained in office until 1930, when he was overthrown by a revolution and taken prisoner.
The period, when he was the President of Peru, is marked with a dictatorial style of ruling by suppressing all opposition harshly. During his presedency Treaties of limits with Colombia and Chile were signed, as well as The Tacna–Arica compromise, which unfortunately led to economic depression in later years.
Civilista Party (until 1920), Reformist Democratic Party (1920-1932)
Leguía changed the Peruvian constitution, and promulgated a new one in 1920, which was more liberal than its predecessor and provided more civil guarantees and unlimited reelections.
He married into one of the most distinguished families of the Peruvian oligarchy.
