The recorded history of the Dominican Republic began in 1492 when Christopher Columbus, working for the Crown of Castile, arrived at a large island in the western Atlantic Ocean, later known as the Caribbean. The native Taíno people, an Arawakan people, had inhabited the island during the pre-Columbian era, dividing it into five chiefdoms. They referred to the eastern part of the island as Quisqueya, meaning 'mother of all lands.' Columbus claimed the island for Castile, naming it La Isla Española, which was later Latinized to Hispaniola.
Joaquín Antonio Balaguer Ricardo was a Dominican politician, scholar, writer, and lawyer. He was President of the Dominican Republic serving three non-consecutive terms for that office from 1960 to 1962, 1966 to 1978, and 1986 to 1996.
The Dominican Republic is a representative democracy, where the president of the Dominican Republic functions as both the head of the government and head of the multi-party system. Executive power is exercised by the government. Legislative power is vested in the bicameral National Congress. The Judiciary is independent of the executive and the legislature.
Rafael Leónidas Trujillo Molina, nicknamed El Jefe, was a Dominican military officer and dictator who ruled the Dominican Republic from August 1930 until his assassination in May 1961. He served as president from 1930 to 1938 and again from 1942 to 1952, ruling for the rest of his life as an unelected military strongman under figurehead presidents. His rule of 31 years, known to Dominicans as the Trujillo Era, was one of the longest for a non-royal leader in the world, and centered around a personality cult of the ruling family. It was also one of the most brutal; Trujillo's security forces, including the infamous SIM, were responsible for perhaps as many as 50,000 murders. These included between 17,000 and 35,000 Haitians in the infamous Parsley massacre in 1937, which continues to affect Dominican-Haitian relations to this day.
The president of the Dominican Republic is both the head of state and head of government of the Dominican Republic. The presidential system was established in 1844, following the proclamation of the republic during the Dominican War of Independence. The president of the Dominican Republic is styled Your Excellency, Mr. President during his time in office. His official residence is the National Palace.
The Congress of the Dominican Republic is the bicameral legislature of the government of the Dominican Republic, consisting of two houses, the Senate and the Chamber of Deputies. Both senators and deputies are chosen through direct election. There are no term limits for either chamber.
The Dominican Liberation Party is a political party in the Dominican Republic. Founded in 1973 by former president Juan Bosch, the party, along with the Dominican Revolutionary Party, and Social Christian Reformist Party, has dominated politics in the country since the establishment of democracy in the early 1960s.
The Dominican Party was the de facto only permitted political party in the Dominican Republic during the dictatorship of Rafael Trujillo, who ruled the country from 1930 to 1961. Its symbol was a palm tree.
Presidential elections were held in the Dominican Republic on 16 May 2000. A runoff was to have taken place on 30 June between first-place finisher Hipólito Mejía of the Dominican Revolutionary Party (PRD) and runner-up Danilo Medina of the Dominican Liberation Party (PLD); former president Joaquín Balaguer of the Social Christian Reformist Party (PRSC) finished third. However, Medina pulled out of the runoff after concluding he did not have enough support to overcome Mejía's first-round lead, handing the presidency to Mejía. Voter turnout was 76.1%.
General elections were held in the Dominican Republic on 16 May 1930. They were held three months after President Horacio Vásquez was deposed in a coup led by Rafael Estrella Ureña. In a deal with Estrella, Dominican Army commander Rafael Trujillo kept his men in barracks under the pretense of "neutrality," clearing the way for Estrella to take over as provisional president. In return, Trujillo was allowed to run for president in the May elections. During the campaign, other candidates, as well as election officials, were subjected to severe harassment by Trujillo's soldiers. The other candidates withdrew when it became clear that Trujillo would be the only candidate allowed to campaign unhindered, leaving him to win the presidency unopposed. The Confederation of Parties, a pro-Trujillo grouping, won every seat in the Congressional elections.
General elections were held in the Dominican Republic on 16 May 1934. Two years earlier, the Dominican Party of President Rafael Trujillo had been declared the only legally permitted party. However, the country had effectively been a one-party state since Trujillo assumed office in 1930.
General elections were held in the Dominican Republic on 16 May 1938. At the time, the country was a single-party state, with the Dominican Party as the only legally permitted party.
General elections were held in the Dominican Republic on 16 May 1942. Rafael Trujillo, who had previously served as president from 1930 to 1938, was the sole presidential candidate and was returned to office unopposed. He had remained the country's de facto leader even after leaving office for the first time. His Dominican Party won every seat in the Congressional elections.
General elections were held in the Dominican Republic on 16 May 1952.
General elections were held in the Dominican Republic on 16 May 1957. Incumbent Héctor Trujillo was the only candidate in the presidential election, and was unopposed for a second term. However, his predecessor and brother Rafael Trujillo, the country's de facto leader since 1930, maintained absolute control of the country. The Dominican Party won every seat in the Congressional elections.
General elections were held in the Dominican Republic on 20 December 1962. They were the first after the end of the Rafael Trujillo dictatorship two years earlier, as well as the first with no military candidates for president since 1938. They are generally regarded to be the first free elections in the country's history.
General elections were held in the Dominican Republic on 16 May 1986. Joaquín Balaguer of the Social Christian Reformist Party (PRSC) won the presidential election, whilst the PRSC-led alliance won the Congressional elections. Voter turnout was 72%.
General elections were held in Paraguay on 14 February 1988. Alfredo Stroessner of the Colorado Party won the presidential elections, whilst the Colorado Party won 20 of the 30 seats in the Senate and 40 of the 60 seats in the Chamber of Deputies. Voter turnout was 92%.
Full general elections were held in Belgium on 2 June, 1912.
The 1963 Dominican coup d'état was a coup d'état that took place on 25 September 1963 against President Juan Bosch in the Dominican Republic. Juan Bosch had been the first democratically elected president after the assassination of the former dictator Rafael Trujillo, but he faced criticism due to his policies, which were seen as leftist. This led to a coup that replaced his government with a military junta; which itself would be replaced with a civilian junta.
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