Óscar Raymundo Benavides Larrea (March 15, 1876 – July 2, 1945) was a Peruvian field marshal, diplomat, and politician who served as the 38th (1914–1915, by coup d'etat) and 42nd (1933–1939) President of Peru, with his latter term being a period of authoritarian fascism.

[1][2][3][4] He was born in Lima on March 15, 1876, son of Miguel Benavides y Gallegos, Sergeant Major of the National Guard, and Erfilia Larrea, Peruvian socialite.

Benavides went to France to complete his military training,[5] after which the French Republic distinguished him with the Cross of the Legion of Honor.

Colombia had established a fortified post at La Pedrera on the southern bank of the Caquetá River, which, according to the Porras-Tanco Argáez Treaty of 1909, was within Peruvian territory.

Some Congressmen conspired to depose the President, and obtained the backing of Lieutenant Colonel José Urdanivia Ginés, head of a section of the Army General Staff.

The conspirators approached Colonel Benavides, who agreed to back them, both to defend the Constitutional order and to avoid a division of the Armed Forces (Basadre, p. 3733–3734).

A revolt, commanded by Benavides, captured the ship’s captain and officers, and changed the route to Costa Rica.

[8] On August 22, 1930, Lieutenant Colonel Luis Miguel Sánchez Cerro initiated a coup in Arequipa, and Leguía resigned from the Presidency.

The Government recalled Benavides and appointed him General-in-Chief of the Council of National Defense (March 27, 1932), in charge of the Peruvian forces in view of a renewed armed conflict with Colombia.

To restrain ensuing turmoil, the Constituent Assembly proclaimed Benavides Constitutional President of the Republic for the completion of the period initiated by Sánchez Cerro.

Benavides oversaw an authoritarian fascist regime and built a strong relationship with wealthy Peruvian business owners.

[1][2][3][4] The primary concerns of the new Government were: to resolve the conflict with Colombia (peace was negotiated in May 1934); and to assuage internal political agitation (Tauro, vol 1, p. 266; Orrego, p. 894) for which purpose, Benavides outlawed the Alianza Popular Revolucionaria Americana (APRA), arguing that it was an international party, prohibited by the Peruvian Constitution, and repressed the Communist Party for the same reason.

Benavides called presidential elections in 1936; but the results were annulled as they favored the investment of Luis Antonio Eguiguren who, according to the Government, had the vote of the APRA.

[10] On December 8, 1939, Benavides handed over the presidential mandate to Manuel Prado y Ugarteche, the winner of the General Elections of that year.

Benavides died in Lima on July 2, 1945, after the confirmation of the triumph of the FDN Presidential Candidate, José Luis Bustamante y Rivero.