36 - The Balaguer Years

Trujillo held the office of President of the Dominican Republic twice, the first time from 1930 to 1938 and the second time from 1942 to 1952. From 1952, there was an elected President who served under him, and he retained power as the National Benefactor.

The Dominican president at the time of Trujillo’s assassination was Joaquín Balaguer, a man who outwardly seemed very different from the flamboyant dictator. He was soft-spoken, a published poet, and a lifelong and somewhat fastidious bachelor. He had been Vice President under Trujillo’s brother, Hector, who had been elected President in 1957. Bowing to pressure from outside the country, Trujillo forced his brother to resign the presidency in 1960, raising Balaguer to a position which was by that time had little real power.

The Trujillo family underestimated Balaguer and assumed that Rafael’s son Ramfis would follow his father as the strong man of the country. But Ramfis’ viciousness alienated the population, and he was into forced exile.

Balaguer quickly consolidated his presidency once Ramfis Trujillo was exiled and sought to gain the support of the populace by making a number of reforms. These, however, pleased neither the public (for whom they were too modest) nor the oligarchy (for whom they were too radical). When elections were held, Balaguer lost the presidency to Juan Bosch.

Bosch held office for only seven months, before he was overthrown by the military, and the country entered a period of Civil War. Fearing something that something similar to the Cuban revolution was taking place in the Dominican Republic, US President Lyndon Johnson sent 42,000 U.S. marines to support conservative forces. Before the US Forces left, they ensured that free and open elections returned Balaguer to office.

The “Balaguer Years” (or the Twelve Years) refer to the period from 1966 until 1978; he later returned as president from 1986-1996.

In many ways, Balaguer was an effective president, although a ruthless one, and the political assassinations and disappearances common during the Trujillo years continued under his presidency. While he never rivaled Trujillo’s ruthlessness, he had no scruple about having political rivals jailed or interfering with the press.

There were signs of economic growth in the Dominican Republic during the Balaguer Years, in addition some modest social reforms were introduced. During the 1970s, an expansive public works program was active throughout the country. New construction efforts included roads, bridges, schools, housing projects, hospitals, dams, libraries, museums, theatres, parks, sports complexes, and public buildings. Under Balaguer’s leadership, the Dominican Republic appeared to be moving toward prosperity.

Nor was it alone. In fact, the late 1960s and early 1970s were a time of growth in many developing countries. Several seemed on the brink of significant economic development. Construction projects like those which were taking place in the Dominican Republic were common throughout the so-called Third World. One of those Third World nations, Brazil, was the world’s eighth largest economy, right behind Canada.

In the mid-1970s, things were looking pretty good in countries like the Dominican Republic and Brazil. . . . And then the price of oil went up.