Danilo Says He Will Govern By The Principals of Juan Bosch

[jrmirador@alumni.iu.edu]

.... in part because of Bosh fault but nonetheless...

This is so true. Actually, Juan Bosch was promoted as president by the U.S. his travels abroad while in exile, arrival in the DR after Trujillo's assassination, even his initial political activities were financed by the U.S., through the C.I.A. My mother, as Juan Bosch's personal secretary, door and agenda keeper during his seven month presidency, can attest that Bosch actually sought his downfall as president...

 

[cobraboy]

Bosch actually sought his downfall as president...

Not doubting you, but I'd like to hear more about this.

I posted 3-4 years ago about being at a large family reunion, maybe 200 people, many in their upper 70's-mid 90's, and sitting at the table with some oldsters who were politically and militarily active and relevant during the interesting Trajillo/Bosch/Balageur/US Invasion period.To this day they argue and bicker, offering totally different perspectives on that period. One guy said after Bosch won, in a few short months he really didn't WANT to be President because the job conflicted with his personal philosophy, that it was easier to build a coalition ~against~ something, based on a philosophy, than actually be a day-to-day leader...

Seriously: I'm not sure there is any objective, factual historical perspective. Maybe Hillbilly can offer some.

 

[Mariot]

as far as i understood it, he was pretty stubborn and not pragmatic enough, thereby angering powerful enemies. he should have known that he couldn't afford to alienate certain people, but didn't want to accept this reality.
there is an interesting book about it:
Amazon.com: Rag-Tags, Scum, Riff-Raff and Commies: The U.S. Intervention in the Dominican Republic, 1965-1966 (9781583670323): Eric Thomas Chester: Books

The U.S. tried, without disrupting the power of the military or the landed oligarchy, to get rid of Trujilloism in the DR, particulary after Trujillo himself was assasinated at the end of May 1961. Bosch assumed power through a democratic election in February 1963 and spent most of his time trying not to upset the military. It was no use. Bosch granted considerable freedom for unions to organize. Thus, for instance the U.S. owned La Romana sugar referinery, the largest in the DR, was forced to to grant a 30 percent increase in wages. He also made lofty plans to redistribute to the poor the vast estates held formerly by Trujillo and his associates but only redistributed them to about 600 families. He made the mistake of telling the U.S. ambassador John B. Martin that he planned to place limits on land ownership and redistribute land held over those limits to the poor. He also wanted to place a twenty percent tax on the large landholders. Martin denounced this plan and Bosch withdrew it but it was one more sign to U.S. policy makers that Bosch was very unreliable. The Dominican military finally overthrew him in late September 1963, just eight months into his term. This coup had tacit U.S. support.

 

[jrmirador@alumni.iu.edu]

.. Seriously: I'm not sure there is any objective, factual historical perspective. ...

According to most Dominican historians, anything anecdotal, and not firmly based on the presently accepted ideological paradigm, is to be disregarded. Unfortunately, all that my mother can contribute to this study is anecdotal. Ernestina Santana witnessed events and situation during Juan Bosch short presidency, many of which have convinced me that Juan Bosch purposely brought about his downfall as president. My mother is in her late eighties. She lives in Miami, Florida, and although frail, she is in full possession of her mental faculties. Anyone willing to discuss these events with her, is much obliged on my part.

 

[Mariot]

According to most Dominican historians, anything anecdotal, and not firmly based on the presently accepted ideological paradigm, is to be disregarded. Unfortunately, all that my mother can contribute to this study is anecdotal. Ernestina Santana witnessed events and situation during Juan Bosch short presidency, many of which have convinced me that Juan Bosch purposely brought about his downfall as president. My mother is in her late eighties. She lives in Miami, Florida, and although frail, she is in full possession of her mental faculties. Anyone willing to discuss these events with her, is much obliged on my part.

than why did he run for office again later?