South American Journal

Alan Gabriel Ludwig García Pérez, President of Peru from 1985 to 1990. Reuters photo by Pilar Olivares.

Unbelievable. Where else but in Peru will people even contemplate bringing back a president who introduced the country to the horrors of hyperinflation? How bad was it? According to the Wikipedia entry on Garcia, he presided over a cumulative total of 2,200,200% inflation, between July 1985 and July 1990. Let's spell it out: that's two million, two hundred thousand, two hundred percent.

This guy just might deserve the title of "Worst President Ever," but that title's been taken.

Tags: Alan Garcia, Peru, election, hyperinflation, inflation