Ricardo Elias Arias

Ricardo Leoncio Elías Arias (Pisco, Ica, September 12, 1874-Lima, March 20, 1951) was a Peruvian lawyer, magistrate and politician, who briefly held the Presidency of Peru from March 1 to 5, 1931, as president of a Transitory Governing Board. He was also president of the Supreme Court of Peru (1931-1932).

Biography

He was the son of Antonio Elías de la Quintana and grandson of Domingo Elías, former president of Peru during the so-called Magna Week in 1844, and Aurelia Arias De la Torre. He studied at the Colegio Nacional Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe and then went on to pursue higher studies at the Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos, where he graduated with a bachelor's degree in Jurisprudence in 1899 with a thesis in which he clarified whether is it fair or not? the prescription set forth in paragraph 2 of article 683 of the Civil Code?. He was received as a lawyer.

He was relator of the Superior Court of Lima in 1904, later ascending to secretary (1905-1911). In 1911 he became a member of the Superior Court of Piura, whose presidency he held in 1914. Later he was prosecutor (1923-1926) and member (1926-1944) of the Supreme Court of Justice, whose presidency he held between 1931 and 1932..

President of the Governing Board

Elías was president of the Supreme Court when he resigned from the Military Junta of Government chaired by Lieutenant Colonel Luis Miguel Sánchez Cerro; In the absence of a legal successor, an assembly of notable citizens assembled by Sánchez Cerro himself agreed to entrust the exercise of the Executive Power to Elías, as president of a Temporary Government Junta, which also included the Army chief of staff, Colonel Manuel A. Ruíz Bravo, and the general commander of the squadron, Alejandro G. Vinces. It was March 1, 1931. But this unpopular government junta would only last a few days in power.

Transitional Board of Government (1-5 March 1931): Elías al centro; Colonel Manuel A. Ruíz Bravo and captain of ship Alejandro G. Vinces. Photo magazine World1931.

Arequipa and southern Peru refused to recognize the transitory board; In that area, the popular leader was David Samanez Ocampo. Neither did Lieutenant Colonel Gustavo Jiménez (who had been sent to the south to suppress the rebels) wanted to abide by Elías' authority and decided to return to Lima by sea. On March 4, 1931, Elías convened a meeting of distinguished citizens at the Government Palace, with whom he agreed to hand over command to Samanez Ocampo. But the next day Jiménez disembarked with his troops in Callao and went to the Palace, ordering Elías to leave said place, giving him a specific period of time. It is said that Elías was meeting at that moment with the members of his government and that upon receiving the intimidation of the military, without hesitating for a moment they all left the Palace and headed towards their respective homes. Jiménez assumed power at the head of a new Transitory Governing Board, which would also be of ephemeral life, having to give way to the Board chaired by Samanez Ocampo.

Ricardo Elías did not participate in political life again and retired in 1942.