Anyone live through Trujillo's Tyranny?

I am eager to get some first hand information about life under the Trujillo dictatorship. I recently read Julia Alvarez' book "In the Time of the Butterflies" which perked my interest in this era of Dominican History.

I visited the DR in the summer of 96, and grew to love dominicans and their fun loving nature. Were things much different culturally in the 40s, 50s and 60s?

I did......sorry I cannot answer your questions, Dolores doesn't like me talking about historical events.

Re: What???

Indeed....
If your memory fails you, you should check your files.
In late August 1998 you wrote to me: "although quite interesting your historical facts and foreign countries' material are not within the scope of this message board, so, I will ask you to refrain from using them..."

You should read La Fiesta del Chivo by Mario Vargas Llosa.

I as a child made the remark,"mingun mal dura cien anos", and was given the warning would you like to keep your head atached to your body. My parents and several family member started to leave one at a time. My father name is Juan Antonio Rodriguez, not Juancito, but that did not keep us from worrying about his safety during that dangerous period. They would kill you, and then worry about identity. Once dead there was nothing you could do about it. Once out every time they had a feast day mass, you went to that to make sure you family that was still in DR was safe from political fallout. There where many political death in New York City during this period. I am still not sure if these two family are the same, one of the descendant claims that it is.

Trujillo's legacy is much more complex than one might think. Although he was the devil to so many, he was god-like to many dominicans also, especially the poor. To this day, many old timers in the DR remember Trujillo's rule with fondness- zero crime, more to eat, more order and respect, ect. ect. As an American living in the DR, this has always fascinated me. It obviously runs counter to all we Americans have been brought up to believe. You might read" The life and times of a Caribbean dictator"-- an excellent history of his long regime. The dictator's ruthluss terror was often aimed more at people of some influence, as opposed to the poor, those of the campo. They were of no threat to his regime.

You are right the aveage person did live better than now sugar was three cents or white and brown two, rice was about the same. The DR peso was worth one twenty US. The population was smaller, Santo Domingo was a small city. I remember The World Fair its was the outshirts of the city. There were very few tall buildings then. I remember going up into these building to see the city and sea. One thing which is still true today you could not say anything to critize the system, not even about the electric or water company, it was very easy to get into trouble, there where spies everywhere, or your friends and neighbor could turn you in.

You say that it is still true today that it is unwise to criticize the system - what do you mean by that? What would happen nowadays if someone bad mouthed the government for, lets say, providing reliable electricity to the Faro a Colon while much of the rest of the country suffers through apagones or other problems that people feel are inadequately addressed?

if you can find it read "Trujillo, the life and times of a Caribbean didtator by Robert D. Crasweller.

On line information...... *PIC*

Ultima Hora, has a few interesting articles,and comments, on line, about "El general?simo Rafael Leonidas Trujillo Molina" and his era.

Re: On line - a ??? for TW *PIC*

TW, can you please tell us if you know the identity of the man in the middle of the picture wearing black sunglasses? - 2DRs

Un grupo de ex integrantes de la Legi?n del Caribe le mostraron su lealtad a Trujillo en Washington en 1953. Junto al dictador se ve a Porfirio Rubirosa, Anselmo Paulino, el general Virgilio Garc?a Trujillo, Manuel Moya Alonso, F?lix W. Bernardino, Manuel Arturo Pe?a Batlle, Enrique Marchena y el coronel Fernando Ferr?n.

>>The dictator's ruthluss terror was often aimed more at people of some influence, as opposed to the poor, those of the campo. They were of no threat to his regime.<<

It might seem that way, since the cases against "people of some influence" are better documented. My own years of discussion with Dominicans about the topic leads me to believe that Trujillo's terror regime did not discriminate based on economic stature, at least not in the cities. I personally have met families of modest means in Santo Domingo who had husbands or brothers or uncles who said something against Trujillo, only never to arrive at his job one morning and never be seen or heard from again ("disappeared"). Usually followed by relatives being blacklisted from any government-controlled or government-influenced jobs (of which there were many in those days, such as anything in the health care system) or physically harassed by goons.

Perhaps the people of the campo were less affected because of their relative isolation from the day-to-day workings of the dictatorship. But hardly unaffected. Certainly many small towns have their share of stories about pretty daughters forcibly stolen by Trujillo for his pleasure pursuits.

But the picture is indeed complex. Even my suegra, whose husband was disappeared for speaking out, who herself was blacklisted for years (and received many death threats too) because of being married to him, even she sometimes speaks wistfully of how "safe" it was in those days -- so safe from crime, she claims, that a man could pass out drunk all night on a park bench, and no one would dare try to steal his wallet!

Re: Man in Black Sunglasses

Re: On line - a ??? for TW *PIC*
Posted By: 2DRs
Date: Monday, 27 August 2001

I think that I've allowed a reasonable passing of time for -Tourist Watcher- to answer my query, perhaps Se?or TW has gone missing from this forum? Regardless of Se?or TW's disposition I will answer to the mystery of the man in the black sunglasses.The man was -el Tuerto Malo-, Trujillo's warden of executions, the man that signed off on the death warrens for those unfortunate souls that ran afoul of el Jefe's regime. This man or devil (he was truly the embodiment of evil) was in charge killing anyone (doing the deed personally if need be) that may have said anything against el Jefe'. He most certainly was directly involved in the gruesome murders of the Mirabal sisters.
- 2DRs -

Re: Man in Black Sunglasses

Whatever happened to old Tourist Watcher, I enjoyed his silly posts?

Re: Man in Black Sunglasses *PIC*

George are you familiar with - Advisory for Travelers to Dominican Republic - ? I've shown the URL below please go there and post your query. I will answer you at that time - 2DRs -

Re: Man in Black Sunglasses

Trujillo's era was full of scary things, things that happened and no one knew about. As I was growing up in the Dominican Republic I remembered scary disappearance by people, even people you knew the next day you did'nt see them anymore. If you followed his rules, rules which resembled the book "1984", you had no problems- even get free cheese, can milk, butter, lard, etc. He would throw these to the poor like if they were dogs. But, if you opposed, you would probably be found dead in some deep hole with broken legs, and you'd indeed have suffered the most painful death. You would be doomed with the rest of your family, and scared to talk or walk in the streets. I remembered when they shot him. I saw people crying, and I saw people shouting with laughter and joy. And all of Trujillo's family suffered after he died because they fear for their lives. They were all so scared that they disappear till forever and never heard of them again.

Re: Man in Black Sunglasses

Santo Domingo was very quiet after the assignation of Trujillo, his "Calieses" (informers) were still every where and at least in public the populace was afraid of the possibility of reprisal by the authorities. Radames Trujillo was in and out of the country a few times after the rest of the family had fled. My sources tell me that Angeleta Trujillo is in Miami now with out penny and living on welfare.

Ms. JAR may I inquire as to where you were living in the DR?
- 2DRs -

Re: Man in Black Sunglasses

2DRS, during the Trujillo era I was living in the Barrio 30 de Mayo in Santo Domingo. Which, by the way, 30 de Mayo is still one of the very well kept places in the cuidad capital. I don't get depressed everytime I hear about Trujillo. But, It is not one of my favorites subjects either. I was a little girl, too busy with my school work and playing around with my friends. Did not understand what was going on. I do remember that someone died because he put some "resistance" in his songs. My parents were too afraid to talk anything against him, because of the dissappearances. It has been until late in the last decade that all books and literatures pertaining to that era have been shown openly for everyone to read. P.S. Read my posting regarding HELP IN DECIDING A CAREER CHANGE, and let me know what you thing. Thanks.

Estimada Ms. JAR

Estimada Ms. JAR

I'll send you an email tomorrow
- 2DRs -

PS - I think you wanted to say '30 de marzo'