Nicolás Lindley López
Encyclopedia
Nicolás Lindley López was a Peru
vian military commander who headed the military government in Peru for several months in 1963.
in 1908 to an upper-class family of English
descent. He studied at the Anglo-Peruvian School (Colegio San Andrés
). In 1926, he entered the Chorrillos Military School
, where he obtained his doctorate in 1930. Lindley had a successful career within the military, and in 1960 he became general commander of the Peruvian Army
.
In July 1962, Lindley launched a military coup together with Ricardo Pérez Godoy
against the democratically elected President of Peru Manuel Prado
. They installed a military government, initially headed by Pérez with Lindley as the minister of defense. The junta's main goal was to organize new elections and transfer power to a newly elected government. When Pérez showed an inclination to stay in power for longer than originally foreseen, he was overthrown by Lindley on March 3, 1963. Lindley stayed in power until July 28 that year when the election winner Fernando Belaúnde
took over the presidency.
From 1964 to 1975, Lindley served as the Peruvian ambassador to Spain
. He then retired from politics and military life, and later returned to Peru, where he lived until his death at the age of 86.
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
vian military commander who headed the military government in Peru for several months in 1963.
Biography
Lindley was born in LimaLima
Lima is the capital and the largest city of Peru. It is located in the valleys of the Chillón, Rímac and Lurín rivers, in the central part of the country, on a desert coast overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Together with the seaport of Callao, it forms a contiguous urban area known as the Lima...
in 1908 to an upper-class family of English
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
descent. He studied at the Anglo-Peruvian School (Colegio San Andrés
San Andrés (Colegio)
The Colegio San Andrés was founded in 1917 as the Anglo-Peruvian School by a Scottish missionary, John A. Mackay, who was later responsible for the YMCA in Latin America and president of Princeton Theological Seminary....
). In 1926, he entered the Chorrillos Military School
Chorrillos Military School
The Chorrillos Military School is the institution in charge of the undergraduate education of officers of the Peruvian Army. It is located at Chorrillos, Lima, Peru, hence its name. Its current director is Brigade General Walter Martos Ruiz. It was also the alma mater of Manuel Noriega....
, where he obtained his doctorate in 1930. Lindley had a successful career within the military, and in 1960 he became general commander of the Peruvian Army
Peruvian Army
The Peruvian Army is the branch of the Peruvian Armed Forces tasked with safeguarding the independence, sovereignty and integrity of national territory on land through military force. Additional missions include assistance in safeguarding internal security, conducting disaster relief operations...
.
In July 1962, Lindley launched a military coup together with Ricardo Pérez Godoy
Ricardo Pérez Godoy
Ricardo Pío Pérez Godoy was a general of the Peruvian army who launched a coup d'état in July 1962 and headed a military junta until March 1963....
against the democratically elected President of Peru Manuel Prado
Manuel Prado Ugarteche
Manuel Prado y Ugarteche was a Peruvian banker and political figure. Son of former president, Mariano Ignacio Prado, he was born in Lima and served as the President of Peru twice, from 1939 until 1945 and again between 1956 and 1962...
. They installed a military government, initially headed by Pérez with Lindley as the minister of defense. The junta's main goal was to organize new elections and transfer power to a newly elected government. When Pérez showed an inclination to stay in power for longer than originally foreseen, he was overthrown by Lindley on March 3, 1963. Lindley stayed in power until July 28 that year when the election winner Fernando Belaúnde
Fernando Belaúnde Terry
Fernando Belaúnde Terry was President of Peru for two non-consecutive terms . Deposed by a military coup in 1968, he was re-elected in 1980 after eleven years of military rule...
took over the presidency.
From 1964 to 1975, Lindley served as the Peruvian ambassador to Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
. He then retired from politics and military life, and later returned to Peru, where he lived until his death at the age of 86.