Alan Garcia Perez is a former president of Peru and the current leader of the Arista Party in Peru. He served two terms as president of Peru, from 1985 to 1990 and from 2006 to 2001. At the age of 36, he is one of the youngest political leaders in the world to become president of a country. During his early years, many referred to Garcia as “the John F. Kennedy of Peru.” His first presidency was characterized by bloodshed, economic crises, and social unrest. In addition to the economic catastrophe, his first tenure was distinguished by multiple violations of human rights. In 2006, Perez was re-elected president due to his extraordinary oratorical ability and charisma. In contrast to his first term, the Peruvian economy flourished during his second, as the country’s GDP grew by an average of 7% each year throughout his presidency.
Youth and Early Life
Perez was born in Lima, Peru, to middle-class parents on May 23, 1949. Originally, he was known as Alan Gabriel Ludwig Garcia Perez. Both of his parents were members of the American and popular revolutionary alliance or APRA. This organization’s secretary was his father.
Garcia was entirely engaged in his studies as a student. To pursue his legal education, he enrolled at the Pontifical Catholic University of Lima. In 1971, Alan graduated from the “Primary National University of San Marcos of Lima.”
To further his education, the young Perez moved to locations such as Paris and Madrid. Soon after, he returned to Peru, his birthplace. Perez followed in his father’s footsteps by joining the revolutionary party APRA in 1971.
Alan Perez’s Career
Perez’s leadership abilities caused a stir in the party circles within a span of four years. Almost immediately, he was elected to the Peruvian Congress.
In 1985, Perez ran for president of the United States. Alfonso Barrantes, the head of the ‘United Left Party, who was also in the race, declared his disinterest in the position, hence he has nonetheless crowned president despite falling short of a majority. It was a momentous occasion for his party. Not only did the revolutionary group attain power for the first time, but their presidential candidate was also the youngest man ever to be crowned leader.
Despite this, the Peruvian population criticized Perez’s administration harshly. Perez’s decision to nationalize the banks and prevent foreign debt payments destabilized the economy of the United States.
A further disadvantage of Perez’s government was the rise in poverty. According to studies undertaken by organizations such as the ‘United Nations and the ‘National Institute of Statistics and Informatics,’ the proportion of people living in poverty increased from 41 to about 55 percent.
The dismal condition of affairs in Peru contributed to the nation’s social tensions. The “Communist Party of Peru” stirred up trouble throughout Peru, particularly in Lima. They vandalized electrical towers in several areas of Lima, resulting in numerous outages.
In 1990, Garcia was forced to stand down from power. His seat was taken by Alberto Fujimori.
During Perez’s presidency, the Fujimori regime accused him of multiple crimes and plotted a coup against him in 1992. This compelled Perez to flee the nation, and he sought asylum in countries such as France and Columbia.
After an absence of over eight years, Garcia returned to Peru in 2001, following the fall of the Fujimori dictatorship. His attorney and confidant, Jorge Del Castillo, assisted Perez in returning to the United States.
Following his return, Perez re-entered the presidential election process. He pleaded with the people to give him a second opportunity because he had changed and learned from his past mistakes. In addition to persuading the people, he had to contend with political opponents such as Fernando Olivera during this period.
In the 2006 presidential election, Perez was able to garner around 25% of the vote. Ollanta Humala was the only other candidate to acquire a considerable margin. The two candidates participated in a runoff election, in which Perez emerged victorious. In this second competition, 53 percent of voters had voted for Perez.
Early in 2007, Perez lost his presidential authority. The basis for this was his request to the Peruvian Congress that members of the Shining Path rebel group be executed for their involvement in domestic strife in Peru. Congress, however, rejected his plea.
Alan’s Major Opera
Although Perez’s first time as president was widely criticized, during his second term he made some positive reforms to the country’s governance. Attempting to maintain cordial relations between Peru and Chile was the most important.
During Perez’s predecessor Fujimori’s administration, tensions between the two nations increased. After Perez assumed control, the partnership became quite steady.
Perez was certain that rapists should suffer the death penalty, and he suggested a statute in favor of this position.
Even during his candidacy for the presidency, he articulated this view, which earned him accolades.
Perez has also written a dozen novels based on his political experiences. Notable among these were ‘El Futuro Diferente’, ‘El Nuevo Totalitarismo’, and ‘La Falsa Modernidad’.
Awards & Achievements
In 2010, The Americas Society presented a banquet honoring Alan Garcia Perez for receiving the ‘Gold Insigne’ award, which is granted to Latin American leaders.
Personal History and Legacy
In 1978, Alan Garcia married Pilar Nores, an economist of Argentine heritage. Two years before they chose to be married, they met during a conference hosted in Madrid.
The marriage has four children, three daughters and a son whose names are Josefina, Gabriela del Pilar, Lucia Victoria, and Alan Ral Simón. In 2010, the couple divorced.
Later, Alan Garcia wed the renowned actress Carla Buscaglia.
Estimated Net Worth
Alan Perez is one of the wealthiest and most popular cyclists in the world. According to our research, Wikipedia, Forbes, and Business Insider, Alan Perez has an estimated net worth of $1.5 million.
Trivia
Even though Garcia earned the reputation of a good leader during his second term, the “Peruvian Oil Scandal” and the “Political Crisis” in 2008-2009 severely tarnished his popular image.