16 Facts About Armando Villanueva

Armando Villanueva del Campo was a Peruvian politician who was the leader of the Peruvian American Popular Revolutionary Alliance.

At the age of 15 Armando Villanueva became a member of APRA's Juventud Aprista Peruana in opposition to the military dictatorship of Luis Miguel Sanchez Cerro.

Armando Villanueva was a political ally and personal friend of Victor Raul Haya de la Torre, the founder and most prominent leader of the APRA party.

Armando Villanueva spent most of his early life in different prisons for his political activities.

In 1940, along with other APRA political activists, Armando Villanueva was exiled to Chile.

Between the 1940s and 1960s Armando Villanueva spent his time in between Peruvian prisons and deportations to Chile and Argentina.

In late 1961, before a general amnesty was granted to members of APRA, Armando Villanueva entered Peru clandestinely.

Armando Villanueva needed to start organizing the multiple party cells in preparation for their return to full political activities.

Ana Maria Villanueva de Riva-Vercellotti was married to an Italian, and Armando was convinced that Peru's secret police would never find him there.

Armando Villanueva was able to stay there, unperturbed, till full amnesty was granted.

From 1963 to 1968 Armando Villanueva served as a deputy in the lower house of the Peruvian legislature representing Lima, serving as President of the Chamber of Deputies from 1967 to 1968.

Armando Villanueva led the Aprista opposition to the military government of Juan Velasco.

In 1985 Armando Villanueva was elected to the Peruvian Senate and elected as the President of the Senate from July 1986 to July 1987.

In 1990 Armando Villanueva was elected to his last term in the Senate, from 1990 to 1992 when Alberto Fujimori shut down Congress.

Armando Villanueva retired in 2005, at the age of 90, to dedicate the rest of his life to his family and writing.

Armando Villanueva died on 14 April 2013 at the age of 97.