Programa Nacional de Población in addition to Peru's political instability and dependency on capitalist order from international governments - left the country in a vulnerable political, social, and economic position. In positions such as these, the poor are left inevitably to suffer from the failed policies of the upper class. This vulnerable state proved to be detrimental to Peru's constitutional government and civil society when the military overthrew President Fernando Belaúnde Terry in 1968 and remained in occupation of the government for an entire decade. Within this decade-long military regime under appointed President Juan Velasco Alvarado, Peruvian government made significant leftist reforms and intended
Juan Velasco Alvarado another uprising or a takeover from the APRA party, seized absolute power and close down Congress, almost all of whose members were briefly incarcerated. General Velasco seized power on October 3, 1968, in a bloodless military coup, deposing the democratically elected administration of Fernando Belaúnde, under which he served as Commander of the Armed Forces. President Belaúnde was sent into exile. Initial reaction against the coup evaporated after five days when on October 8, 1968, the oil fields in dispute were taken over by the Army. The coup leaders named their administration the Revolutionary Government of the Armed Forces, with