Peruvian News, 1941
Elections
The first set of public elections since the 1937 Civil War took place in July 1941.
The Presidency was won by Luis Galvez, an industrialist from Lima. He defeated Sr. Kaime Carderos by a margin of 57.4% to 42.6%.
The Congressional elections provided some surprises. The Congressionalist Party, led by Prime Minister Orlando Bayon, shed a number of seats in urban areas, though it secured a sizeable minority of seats overall. The National Restoration Party, an offshoot of the former Social Democrats led by Alberto Hernandez, took the second-most seats, and is expected to be in opposition to the Congressionalists. Peru First, Peruvian Worker's Federation, Marxist Party, and the Progressive Party also secured seats, as did three independent candidates well-known in their constituencies.
Congress, July 1941
Congressionalist: 46
National Restoration: 30
Peru First: 19
Peruvian Workers: 12
Marxist: 5
Progressive: 5
Independent: 3
Not surprisingly, President Galvez invited Sr. Bayon to become Prime Minister and form a government. Sr. Bayon agreed, and began negotiations with the other parties within days. He was not able to secure an outright majority coalition; National Restoration was not prepared to align itself under any circumstances, and Peruvian workers, while not actively seeking to immediately bring down the government, acknowledged that they simply were not ideologically compatible. The Marxists declined to engage in discussions at all.
Sr. Bayon finally managed to secure the active support of the Progressives and two Independents (the latter both consenting in exchange for cabinet positions). Peru First agreed to support the Congressionalists on economic and social issues, but warned that its consent to foreign and defence-related matters would depend on compatibility with its pro-isolationist stance.
This gave Bayon 53 of 120 seats as a base, with the potential for another 19 where Peru First was prepared to back the coalition.
Congressional Address
Prime Minister Bayon articulated his government's priorities in a speech to Congress in early August. The stated priorities of his government were to be:
1. Re-establishing and strengthening relations with Peru's long-time allies, Iberia and Italy being specifically named.
2. Strengthening relations with long-time trading partners, Germany and South Africa being specifically named.
3. A new economic plan to capitalize on now-completed post-war economic and infrastructure reconstruction efforts.
4. Continued reconstruction and modernization of the Peruvian military, with a priority set upon self-defence and deterrence.
5. Continued efforts to reduce corruption in government and Peruvian society in general, post-war efforts having not wholly solved the issue.
Defence Procurement
The Peruvian Air Force and Army put out a range of tenders for aircraft and arms to traditionally friendly states (AEGIS, Germany, South Africa, Bharat)
(OOC: And no, I'm not getting into those details at all)
The Peruvian Navy laid down a variety of small craft with specific defensive roles, as well as a new light cruiser built along German lines.
Design work was reported to be underway in respect of new destroyer and anti-aircraft cruisers.
Requests for proposals were held in regards to the potential purchase of an aircraft carrier and associated equipment. Final decisions were not available at press time.
The Peruvian Navy was directed to engage in a lessons-learned exercise related to the Civil War naval actions, and a strategic plan for construction over the next five years.