PERU: Dictatorship Dismantled

An extraordinary transfer of power from a military dictatorship to a democratically elected government took place in Lima last week, on the 13 5th anniversary of Peru's independence from Spain. Inaugurated as President for a six-year term was Manuel Prado Ugarteche, 67, a conservative, pro-U.S. aristocrat who had already served one full presidential term, 1939-45.* On the same day the new Congress speedily and unanimously dismantled the dictatorship's legal structure. In a series of new-broom bills, the lawmakers declared an amnesty for political prison ers, swept away oppressive security laws, restored legality to the American Popular Revolutionary Alliance (APRA).

So ended General Manuel Odria's eight-year span in power. Peru had thrived eco nomically during his presidency, but his finest achievement was that he permitted last June's free presidential election — and then, though his chosen candidate lost, turned over his office to the winner.

Prado's No. 1 political problem is likely to be how to get along with APRA, which helped him win because he promised to legalize outlawed parties. It was to crush APRA that Odria took over in 1948, but APRA leaders now claim that the party has outgrown its old socialistic, demagog ic, intolerant ways. If the party should again make itself too obnoxious to the army, a swing back to military rule would be all too probable.