...Not So Wondrous: The effects of a brutal dictatorial regime illustrated by Junot Diaz The brutality of the Trujillo Regime lasted for thirty years. Rafael Leonidas Trujillo Molina was named the ruler of the Dominican Republic in 1930, and continued his tyranny until his assassination in 1961. El Jefe, as he was often referred to, (meaning “the boss”) was originally an army general, and took power as a dictator following the rule and overthrow of Horacio Vasquez. Under Trujillo’s rule, the intense violence in the country became overwhelming. Though he officially stepped down as president almost ten years before his assassination, he continued his command as an unelected military dictator (“History of the Dominican Republic”). Trujillo, in true dictator form, preformed horrible acts of violence. In the 1930’s, he developed a term of racial discrimination against dark-skinned Haitians called “Antihaitianismo,” and in 1937, he was responsible for the slaughter of thousands of Haitian cane-workers. He also abused his position by taking unfair advantage over Dominican citizens. “El Jefe” had the right to any woman of his choice, regardless of their age or marital status. These women were taken without consent, abused, and raped. In order to keep his people under control, Trujillo had a way of taking care of anyone who opposed these horrible acts. Torture and murder of all who opposed was very common, and always kept quiet. One of the only truly publicized cases...
Words: 2165 - Pages: 9
...Analysis of Development in the Dominican Republic The Dominican Republic has experienced a tumultuous history, which has caused the country to develop into a constant state of crisis. The situation in the Dominican Republic is bleak socially and economically. There is widespread and extreme poverty and violence, as well as an overall lack of available education and medical care. Luis Barrios and David Brotherton, authors of “Dominican Republic” (2004), asserted “the current state of affairs is partly the legacy of decades of corrupt authoritarian rule, and partly due to the political betrayal and moral bankruptcy of the country’s elites who failed to bring to fruition the promises of democracy.” The disparities in income and education between the richest and the poorest in this country are extreme, and there has been little true economic development in decades. The economic and social development of the Dominican Republic is continuously being hindered by the widespread corruption of the elites and the politicians. The Dominican Republic has a long history of corruption and poverty. In 1930, a military coup put Rafael Trujillo in power. Trujillo ruled the Dominican Republic for over 30 years as an absolute dictatorship (Barrios & Brotherton 2004). Trujillo followed an uneven mix of repression and ruthlessness along with modernization (Barrios & Brotherton 2004). Many people suffered under his dictatorship. Trujillo was always on the look out for disloyalty and potential...
Words: 1883 - Pages: 8
