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History
of the Dominican Republic
The
island of Hispaniola, of which the Dominican
Republic forms the eastern two-thirds
and Haiti the remainder, was originally
occupied by Taínos, an Arawak-speaking
people. The Taínos welcomed Christopher
Columbus in his first voyage in 1492,
but subsequent colonizers were brutal,
reducing the Taíno population from
about 1 million to about 500 in 50 years.
To ensure adequate labor for plantations,
the Spanish brought African slaves to
the island beginning in 1503.
In
the next century, French settlers occupied
the western end of the island, which Spain
ceded to France in 1697, and which, in
1804, became the Republic of Haiti. The
French held on in the eastern part of
the island, until defeated by the Spanish
inhabitants, with help from the Royal
Navy, at the battle of Palo Hincado on
November 7, 1808 and the final capitulation
of the besieged Santo Domingo on July
9, 1809. The Spanish authorities showed
little interest in their restored colony,
and the following period is recalled as
La España Boba – 'The Era
of Foolish Spain'. In 1821 the Spanish
settlers declared an independent state,
but Haitian forces occupied the whole
island just 9 weeks later and held it
for 22 years.
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On
February 27, 1844, independence was declared
from the Haitians. This was the culmination
of a movement led by Juan Pablo Duarte, then
in exile, the hero of Dominican independence.
The military forces that drove the occupators
out were led by Pedro Santana.
The
Dominican Republic's first constitution was
adopted on November 6, 1844. It adopted a presidential
form of government with many liberal tendencies,
but it was marred by Article 210, imposed by
Pedro Santana on the constitutional assembly
by force, which gave him the privileges of a
dictatorship until the war of independence was
over. These privileges not only served him to
win the war, but also allowed him to persecute,
execute and drive into exile his political opponents,
among which Duarte was the most important.
In
1861, during one of his presidencies, Santana
restored the Dominican Republic to Spain. This
move was widely rejected and on August 16, 1863,
a national war of "restoration" began.
In 1865, independence was restored. Economic
difficulties, the threat of European intervention,
and ongoing internal disorders led to a U.S.
occupation in 1916 and the establishment of
a military government in the Dominican Republic.
The occupation ended in 1924, with a democratically
elected Dominican government.
In
1930, Rafael Trujillo, a prominent army commander,
established absolute political control. Trujillo
promoted economic development--from which mainly
he and his supporters benefitted--and severe
repression of domestic human rights. Mismanagement
and corruption resulted in major economic problems.
In August 1960, the Organization of American
States (OAS) imposed diplomatic sanctions against
the Dominican Republic as a result of Trujillo's
complicity in an attempt to assassinate President
Rómulo Betancourt of Venezuela. These
sanctions remained in force after Trujillo's
assassination in May 1961. In November 1961,
the Trujillo family was forced into exile, fleeing
to France.
In
January 1962, a council of state with legislative
and executive powers was formed; it included
moderate members of the opposition. OAS sanctions
were lifted January 4, and, after the resignation
of President Joaquín Balaguer on January
16, the council under President Rafael Bonnelly
headed the Dominican government. In 1963, Juan
Bosch was inaugurated President. Bosch was overthrown
in a military coup in September 1963.
After
Bosch's overthrow a "Triumvirate"
established a de facto dictatorship until April
24 1965, when another military coup led to violence
between military elements favoring the return
to government by Bosch and those who proposed
a military junta committed to early general
elections. On April 28, after being requested
by the anti Bosch army elements, U.S. military
forces landed, officially to protect U.S. citizens
and to evacuate U.S. and other foreign nationals.
Additional U.S. forces subsequently established
order.
In
June 1966, President Balaguer, leader of the
Reformist Party (now called the Social Christian
Reformist Party--PRSC), was elected and then
re-elected to office in May 1970 and May 1974,
both times after the major opposition parties
withdrew late in the campaign because of the
high degree of violence by pro government groups.
In the May 1978 election, Balaguer was defeated
in his bid for a fourth successive term by Antonio
Guzmán of the PRD. Guzmán's inauguration
on August 16 marked the country's first peaceful
transfer of power from one freely elected president
to another.
The
PRD's presidential candidate, Salvador Jorge
Blanco, won the 1982 elections, and the PRD
gained a majority in both houses of Congress.
In an attempt to cure the ailing economy, the
Jorge administration began to implement economic
adjustment and recovery policies, including
an austerity program in cooperation with the
International Monetary Fund (IMF). In April
1984, rising prices of basic foodstuffs and
uncertainty about austerity measures led to
riots.
Balaguer
was returned to the presidency with electoral
victories in 1986 and 1990. Upon taking office
in 1986, Balaguer tried to reactivate the economy
through a public works construction program.
Nonetheless, by 1988, the country slid into
a 2-year economic depression, characterized
by high inflation and currency devaluation.
Economic difficulties, coupled with problems
in the delivery of basic services--including
electricity, water, and transportation--generated
popular discontent that resulted in frequent
protests, occasionally violent, including a
paralyzing nationwide strike in June 1989.
In
1990, Balaguer instituted a second set of economic
reforms. After concluding an IMF agreement,
balancing the budget, and curtailing inflation,
the Dominican Republic is experiencing a period
of economic growth marked by moderate inflation,
a balance in external accounts, and a steadily
increasing GDP.
The
voting process in 1986 and 1990 was generally
seen as fair, but allegations of electoral board
fraud tainted both victories. The elections
of 1994 were again marred by charges of fraud.
Following a compromise calling for constitutional
and electoral reform, President Balaguer assumed
office for an abbreviated term. In June 1996,
Leonel Fernández Reyna was elected to
a 4-year term as president. In May 2000 Hipólito
Mejía was elected to a 4-year term as
president. In May 2004, Leonel Fernández
Reyna was again elected to a 4-year term as
president and inaugurated as such on August
16th, 2004.
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