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Dominican Republic Joaquín Balaguer, 1966-78
A fractious campaign ensued between the country's two
leading
political figures: Bosch and Balaguer. Bosch's appeal was
tempered by fear; many Dominicans felt that his reelection
would
rekindle the violence of April 1965. This trepidation
aided
Balaguer, who also appealed to conservative voting sectors
such
as peasants, women (considered to be more religious than
men),
and businesspeople. Balaguer thus won handily, garnering
57
percent of the vote in balloting held July 1, 1966. His
Reformist
Party (Partido Reformista--PR) also captured majorities in
the
Congress.
Balaguer went on to serve as president for twelve
years. A
relative nonentity under Trujillo, he demonstrated, once
in
power, the astuteness with which he had studied the
techniques of
the late dictator. Even though as a conservative he
theoretically
was more secure against military machinations, he actively
sought
to head off opposition from the armed forces by rewarding
officers loyal to him, purging those he suspected, and
rotating
everyone's assignments on a regular and frequent basis. He
curtailed nonmilitary opposition through selective
(compared to
the Trujillo years) repression by the National Police. His
reelection in 1970 and in 1974 was accomplished largely
through
intimidation. The PRD, the only viable, broad-based
opposition
party, boycotted both elections to safeguard the
well-being of
those who would have been their candidates.
The Dominican economy expanded at a record rate under
Balaguer. Favorable international prices for sugar
provided the
basis for this so-called Dominican miracle. Foreign
investment,
foreign borrowing, foreign aid, the growth of tourism, and
extensive public works programs also contributed to high
levels
of growth. By the late 1970s, however, the expansion had
slowed
considerably as sugar prices dipped and oil prices rose.
Rising
inflation and unemployment diminished support for the
government,
particularly among the middle class.
The PRD, feeling the mood of the population and sensing
support from the administration of United States president
Jimmy
Carter, nominated Silvestre Antonio Guzmán Fernández to
oppose
Balaguer in the elections of May 16, 1978. A relatively
heavy 70
percent turnout seemed to favor the PRD; early returns
confirmed
this as Guzmán built a sizable lead. Early in the morning
of May
17, however, military units occupied the Central Electoral
Board
and impounded the ballots. Clearly, Balaguer was
attempting to
nullify the balloting or to falsify the results in his
favor.
Only forceful remonstrances by the Carter administration,
backed
up by a naval deployment, moved Balaguer to allow the
resumption
of the vote count. Two weeks later, Guzmán's victory was
officially announced.
Data as of December 1989
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