DOMINICAN REPUBLIC POLITICAL AND HISTORY

The island of Hispaniola, of which the Dominican Republic forms the eastern two-thirds and Haiti the remainder, was originally occupied by members of the Taino tribe, a branch of Arawak-speaking people who may have originated in South America. The people welcomed Columbus at the end of his first voyage in 1492, but subsequent colonizers were brutal. Colonial conditions reduced the Taino population from an estimated 1 million to about 500 in only 50 years. To ensure adequate labor for plantations, the Spanish began bringing African slaves to the island 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 Haitians conquered the whole island in 1822 and held it until 1844, when forces led by Juan Pablo Duarte, the hero of Dominican independence, drove them out and established the Dominican Republic as an independent state. In 1861, the Dominicans voluntarily returned to the Spanish Empire; in 1865, independence was restored.

Economic difficulties, the threat of European intervention, and ongoing internal disorders led to U.S. occupation in 1916 and the establishment of a military government in the Dominican Republic. Occupation ended in 1924, with a democratically elected Dominican government.

In 1930, Rafael L. Trujillo, who had come to prominence as commander of the army, took power and maintained absolute political control. Trujillo promoted economic development from which he and his supporters largely benefited as well as intervention in the affairs of neighboring states 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 Romulo Betancourt of Venezuela. These sanctions remained in force after Trujillo's death by assassination in May 1961. In November 1961, the Trujillo family was forced into exile.

In January 1962, a council of state that included moderate opposition elements with legislative and executive powers was formed. OAS sanctions were lifted January 4, and, after the resignation of President Joaquin Balaguer on January 16, the council, under President Rafael E. Bonnelly, became the effective Dominican Government.

Following free elections in December 1962, Juan Bosch, of the Dominican Revolutionary Party (PRD), was inaugurated President. Despite his reform program and respect for human rights, conflicts arose between him and various opposition groups, and bitter political controversy spread nationwide. In September 1963, President Bosch was overthrown in a military coup.

Another military coup, on April 24, 1965, led to violence between military elements favoring the return to government by Bosch--the "constitutionalists"--and those who proposed a military junta committed to early general elections--the "loyalists." On April 28, U.S. military forces landed to protect U.S. citizens and to evacuate U.S. and other foreign nationals. The situation in Santo Domingo deteriorated into near anarchy. Communist leaders, many of whom were trained in Cuba, threatened to take control of the revolutionary movement. More U.S. forces landed on April 30 to prevent a complete communist takeover.

In June 1966, the government held elections witnessed by OAS observers. Balaguer defeated Bosch for the presidency, receiving 57% of the vote. President Balaguer, leader of the Reformist Party (now called the Social Christian Reformist Party--PRSC), was then re-elected to office in May 1970 and May 1974, both times after major opposition parties withdrew late in the campaign.

In the May 1978 election, Balaguer was defeated in his bid for a fourth successive term by Antonio Guzman of the PRD. Guzman'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). The rising costs of basic foodstuffs and public uncertainty about austerity measures led, in April 1984, to several days of the worst riots since the 1960s.

Balaguer 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. It rallied initially, but by 1988, slid into two of the worst economic years in recent Dominican history, characterized by slow growth, inflation, and currency devaluation. Economic difficulties, coupled with serious problems in the delivery of basic services (e.g. electricity, water, 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 negotiating an agreement with the IMF, balancing the budget, and curtailing inflation, the Dominican Republic is experiencing a period of economic stability. It has been marked by low inflation, a balance-of- payments surplus, and a leap in GDP.

Although the voting process itself in 1986 and 1990 was generally seen as fair, allegations of election board fraud tainted both victories. A commission of electoral advisers, designated by President Jorge and led by the Archbishop of Santo Domingo, played an important role in keeping the electoral process on track. The elections of 1994 were again marred by charges of fraud. Following a compromise agreement calling for constitutional and electoral reform, President Balaguer assumed office for an abbreviated term.

POLITICAL CONDITIONS

The Dominican Republic has a stable, multiparty, political system with national elections every four years. On May 16, 1994, nearly 90% of the Dominican people went to the polls in the eighth national election since the democratic process began in 1966. At stake were the presidency, vice presidency, congressional seats, and the municipal positions-- mayors and council members. During the two years preceding the election, a new voter registration system was implemented by the Central Electoral Board (JCE), the independent body charged with administering the elections. The four leading parties in 1994 were: the PRSC, tied to the International Christian Democratic political movement, whose candidate was President Joaquin Balaguer; PRD, affiliated with the Socialist International, whose candidate was Jose Francisco Pena Gomez; the Dominican Liberation Party (PLD), whose candidate was former President Juan Bosch; and the Independent Revolutionary Party (PRI), whose candidate was former President Jacobo Majluta. Many smaller groups formed alliances with these parties.

On election day, international observers noted that many voters with valid voter registration cards were prevented from voting because their names did not appear on the voter lists used at the polls. The opposition PRD immediately charged the Central Electoral Board and the PRSC with fraudulently denying the vote to PRD supporters. A Verification Commission appointed by the Central Electoral Board confirmed that the names of voters which appeared on a registration list two weeks before the election were missing from the lists used on election day. By all estimates, the number of disenfranchised voters far exceeded the 22,281-vote margin of victory announced in favor of President Balaguer on August 2, 1994.

Following an intense period of protest and negotiation, the competing political parties signed a "Pact for Democracy" on August 10, providing for the inauguration of President Balaguer to an abbreviated term of office, early elections, and constitutional reform. A new Central Electoral Board was named at the end of October to begin work on electoral reform.