Bedoya Reyes, Luis (1919–)

Luis Bedoya Reyes (b. 1919), Peruvian politician and lawyer, charismatic mayor of Lima for two terms (1964–1969), and a contender for the presidency of Peru in the elections of 1980 and 1985. His political activities started with his support of the civilian president José Luis Bustamante y Rivero (1945–1948). In 1956 he contributed to the formation of the centrist Christian Democratic Party (PDC) and became its first general secretary. His close links with Popular Action, headed by his friend Fernando Belaúnde Terry, led to his nomination as minister of justice when Belaúnde was elected president in 1963. He renounced this ministerial post to run for mayor of Lima in 1964.

Clearly at odds with the PDC's leader, Héctor Cornejo Chávez, Bedoya formed the Christian Popular Party in 1966. Extremely popular in Lima, Bedoya headed the Right's feeble opposition to the military dictatorship between 1974 and 1980. In 1978, Bedoya received the second most votes as representative to the Constituent Assembly. He has since been associated with the political right, which suffered sound defeats in the presidential elections of 1985 and 1990.

After retiring from politics, Bedoya opened a law firm in Lima, where he specializes in civil, commercial, and public law. He also serves on the Consultation Board of the University of Lima Law School.

See alsoPeru, Political Parties: Popular Action (AP) .

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Pedro Pablo Kuczynski, Peruvian Democracy Under Economic Stress: An Account of the Belaúnde Administration, 1963–1968 (1977).

John Crabtree, Peru Under García: An Opportunity Lost (1992).

Additional Bibliography

Amiel Meza, Ricardo and Luis Bedoya Reyes. La fe social cristiana de Luis Bedoya Reyes: Derrotero de un compromiso doctrinario. Lima: s.n., 2000.

Bedoya Reyes, Luis, Ricardo Amiel Meza, and César Madrid Isla. Bedoya en la Constituyente. Peru: Studios Madrid, 1990.

                                   Alfonso W. Quiroz