Greatest Dominican President

[Rapadou]

Aristide is the worse thing to have happened to haiti

in recent years. However, The Duvaliers were no better themselves. With that said you would never hear me give credence to the Duvaliers as national Heroes. That would be an insult to the thousands of people who died during their monstrous years in Haiti.

Aristide on the other hand is trying his best to top the Duvaliers when it comes to deceiving the mass, down with Aristide, down with him. I look forward to a Haiti in the coming days without this monster of tyrant not to say dictator..............

 

[Guillermo P?rez]

Yes, you're absolutely right about all these undue heroic accomplishments bestowed on this monster of a man. However, as bad as he was, he knew how to keep the peace and the economy in check. Back then, we had STABILITY, which is a far cry from the chaos we find ourselves in today. Correct me if I'm wrong but wasn't Haiti a hell of a lot better off under Duvalier than it is under Aristide? Admit it, don't deny it!

My friend there are BARRIOS that have more people in them than what we were as a country when Trujillo was president.

Santo Domingo had around 200,000 habitants back then.
This was a basicly big FARM... with no industry diversification... sugar cane was our only MAJOR source of income.

It is much easier to administer such a small country with small problems... after all when you got hungry, you just slaughtered a chicken.

data?... let me tell you that data, both economic and social from that time is as UNRELIABLE as anything anywhere.

Let's face it... when a country and a city grows by 20-fold in 50 years it is no easy task to govern...

So talking about DR in Trujillo's time is talking about another DR... one that had 9 times less people, a much smaller goverment and just one real big industry (sugar cane)... nobody knows for sure how many companies and people Trujillo crossed, we just don't know many goverment FACTS form that time because they were either hidden from us, or raised from myth and speculation.

And yes i do agree this is the WORST goverment we've had... and that PRD is in it's most part a group of uneducated, corrupt pseudobeaurocrats... it's just that Trujillo should be left out as a comparison, because things were much different... I mean he saw on one day " too many black people" and decided to kill 30,000 haitians just like that... he did, the US knew and approved... heck even gave us some ammo for it.

It was a different time.

 

[Don Juan]

Look at China

My friend there are BARRIOS that have more people in them than what we were as a country when Trujillo was president.

Santo Domingo had around 200,000 habitants back then.
This was a basicly big FARM... with no industry diversification... sugar cane was our only MAJOR source of income.

It is much easier to administer such a small country with small problems... after all when you got hungry, you just slaughtered a chicken.

data?... let me tell you that data, both economic and social from that time is as UNRELIABLE as anything anywhere.

Let's face it... when a country and a city grows by 20-fold in 50 years it is no easy task to govern...

So talking about DR in Trujillo's time is talking about another DR... one that had 9 times less people, a much smaller goverment and just one real big industry (sugar cane)... nobody knows for sure how many companies and people Trujillo crossed, we just don't know many goverment FACTS form that time because they were either hidden from us, or raised from myth and speculation.

And yes i do agree this is the WORST goverment we've had... and that PRD is in it's most part a group of uneducated, corrupt pseudobeaurocrats... it's just that Trujillo should be left out as a comparison, because things were much different... I mean he saw on one day " too many black people" and decided to kill 30,000 haitians just like that... he did, the US knew and approved... heck even gave us some ammo for it.

It was a different time.

Mr. perez, There are over a billion inhabitants in China today. During Mao Ze Dong's tenure, there were something like 900 million people living a life of misery and starvation. Today, China enjoys one of the fatest growing economies in the world. This in spite of a big difference, then and now, in its population. Numbers mean nothing. What really matters is how a country is run. If the DR had Trujillo in power today(heaven forbid) it wouldn't matter what our numbers were. I still maintain that as terrible as this man was, and the methods he used, He KNEW how to run a country.

 

[Guillermo P?rez]

He knew so well that they killed him.

 

[Narcosis]

Balaguer

He was so important for the stability of this country for many reasons.

1. Made possible a peaceful transition from Trujillo to democracy even with a Bosch goverment that abroad was viewed as a threat. This country was at the verge of following many other Latin American nations and falling victim of the "cold-war era" turmoil and political ping-pong. Succesfully controlled a very powerful armed forces keen on destroying anyone that even had a shred of leftist views. Even Balaguer was almost a victim himself of this.

2. Was a Dominican version of US president Hoover. Balaguer knew the value of building an infrastructure for growth, a task only goverments can do as it is very dificult for the private sector to invest in highways and dams in a way it would benifit the masses.

3. His anti "Haitianization" views helped prevent a Haitian from ever becoming president (Pena Gomez). Although Pena Gomez's efforts were avoided, his legacy lives on in the PRD party which views this as a most important political tool to remain in office.

PS. I can state a country where similar tactics have been very succesful politically. The 2 island nation of Antigua and Barbuda ruled by the Byrd's.
Father Byrd was the Governor of Antigua representing her majesty the Queen of England until 1981 where the nation got it's indepence. The former governors son, Lester Byrd won the first election and has been in power since.

One tactic he has used very succesfully is to grant Citizenship to DOMINICANS now numbering an estimated 10 thousand on an island of 80-90 thousand.. You can guess who every Dominican and their offspring vote for!

 

[PICHARDO]

Who was the best president of the Dominican Republic?

Please do not include the current or former
living president(s).

Moca

Lic. Jacobo Majluta Azar


The one and only CPA to reach the presidency of the Dominican Republic, from July 4 1982 to Aug 16 1982, right after the supposed suicide of the Presidente Guzman Fernandez, he took over the Gov, a PRD dissident and leader of the Partido Revolucionario Independiente (PRI) which he formed theafter, was in fact a man that many wanted to suceed in capturing the presidency on the elections held that year, but after a disputed recount of the ballots the "Munequito de papel" was declared the winner of the elections, This was a man that knew how to bring about fiscal responsibility and was freed of the many compromises that the previous president had to agreed to be postulated to be the presidential candidate for the party, yet the country was again left behind in the political parties quest for power and money.

Other than him, I'm hard pressed to concede there's not one single person that has served this country for the love of it, but rather for the love of money and power.

Like the mastermind of the Trujillo's regime said once:
"Pueblo Dominicano, yo soy la palma y ustedes los cocos"

We will have to change to a kingdom or something to that effect or we'll run out of options pretty soon.

 

[samiam]

He knew so well that they killed him.

I dont want to debate wether that Trujillo was good or bad. That is completely pointless. Did he or did he not do things for this country that this country needed? Asking if someone else could have done it better is futile and stupid. I think he was what the DR deserved and needed at the time. Perhaps a bit overextended but his government was what was necessary because it was what Dominicans in general accepted.
Most people alive at the time of his death did not immediately revolt, they where not waiting for a spark to start the flame of revolution. Revolution came later on among the dogs fighting over the government bone left by the old regime, didnt they?


BTW Pichardo, Majluta?
Please, the guy had a grand total of what 40 days? How can you honestly think that is enough time to judge an administration. Maybe we missed out on a great president...or maybe we avoided an earlier version of another PRD failure.

 

[Jon S.]

The greatest Dominican president?

Vicini, Bonetti, Le?n, Corripio, Grull?n, Armenteros, hazoury, B?ez, Jimenez, Brugal, Pellerano, Najri, Selm?n, Cuesta, Ramos, Rainieri, Garc?a, Menicucci...

Take your pick...

Very true, those are the "presidents" of the Dominican Republic. If only people knew how much of a say they have in Dominican politics, they'd be surprised (well, not everyone would be shocked ) but they run the show. If it wasn't for some of those, specifically the first four names, the political parties wouldn't have one cent to their name and thus couldn't be campaigning and polluting the cities and towns with propaganda.......

 

[PICHARDO]

BTW Pichardo, Majluta?
Please, the guy had a grand total of what 40 days? How can you honestly think that is enough time to judge an administration. Maybe we missed out on a great president...or maybe we avoided an earlier version of another PRD failure.

MY POINT EXACTLY...
NOBODY!
WAIT!
ME WHEN I RETURN TO DR AND WITH THE HELP OF MY FELLOW DR1'S LAUNCH A NEW POLITICAL PARTY TO TAKE OVER THE NATIONAL PALACE ONCE THERE DECLARE THE REPUBLIC OVER AND START A MONARQUIA ABSOLUTA!!!

 

[Oche]

Not all dominican presidents have been puppet morons. For those of you looking forward to dig into dominican presidents history:

http://www.presidencia.gov.do/Galeria/galeriaindex.htm

 

[Dominican Man]

Presidents??

Bosch?? How can anyone even mention the guy?

Certain individuals are intelligent, some are geniouses. Bosch was a genious in his own right and a politician but not a president. Shall we call him a Comunist "Nixon"?? He had a lack of balls to say the least. One of the good things that he did during his tenure was aleviate the cost of food for the poor. PS" Bosch would not have been able to pay the national debt even if his life depended on it.!! The country had a mis-management of funds since the death of Trujillo - When Balaguer had to become the acting president since he was the Vice-president I believe had Hector Trujillo as well as the entire family had to leave the country because of the war ships that were surrounding the capital.

Balaguer was a GREAT president as long as you were within his party. Wide spread curruption through-out the country.. Does anyone have a remote idea of the amount of people that Balaguer either directly or indirectly had killed during his presidency of the 1st 12 years of command? Shall we say "too many" since there is no real count..?? There was a band of thugs called "Banda Colora" ?? Can anyone remeber this?? - Same thing that Trujillo did the first time he ran for president.. - see the ideology here?

Trujillo?? Well, owner of all - should sum it all. However, it must be said that there was food for everyone, there were not thieves, no rapists, no governmental corruption. The Dominican Republic was a company and he was the CEO, CFO,CAO and overall the Benefactor of the new independence.

 

[frank alvarez]

Trujillo may have been, in spite of...

Trujillo may have been, in spite of being a dictator. The quality of life for the average Dominican, at the time, was much better than it is now in spite of all the modern amenities that can be acquired now and not then. Unless you were criticizing, conspiring or somehow got in the way of El Jefe.

For my 2 cents, Leonel Fernandez if you can include living presidents.

 

[Mayita]

from what I have heard Don Antonio Guzman was a very good president as well, but I would not know since he committed suicide when I was still an infant, but my parents who were practically newlyweds at that time and my aunts and uncles and grandparents said that he did really good things with the economy. if anyone has any information on him please enlighten me. as in the years that I would learn dominican history more in depth was when we moved to the US and I really didnt get that opportunity

 

[ExtremeR]

Don Antonio Guzman presidency is heralded by many as one of the best presidencies ever in the DR. Leonel 1st term doesn?t get too behind.

 

[bonao99]

during Balaguer dictartorship 4000+ were killed

Bosch?? How can anyone even mention the guy?

Certain individuals are intelligent, some are geniouses. Bosch was a genious in his own right and a politician but not a president. Shall we call him a Comunist "Nixon"?? He had a lack of balls to say the least. One of the good things that he did during his tenure was aleviate the cost of food for the poor. PS" Bosch would not have been able to pay the national debt even if his life depended on it.!! The country had a mis-management of funds since the death of Trujillo - When Balaguer had to become the acting president since he was the Vice-president I believe had Hector Trujillo as well as the entire family had to leave the country because of the war ships that were surrounding the capital.

Balaguer was a GREAT president as long as you were within his party. Wide spread curruption through-out the country.. Does anyone have a remote idea of the amount of people that Balaguer either directly or indirectly had killed during his presidency of the 1st 12 years of command? Shall we say "too many" since there is no real count..?? There was a band of thugs called "Banda Colora" ?? Can anyone remeber this?? - Same thing that Trujillo did the first time he ran for president.. - see the ideology here?

Trujillo?? Well, owner of all - should sum it all. However, it must be said that there was food for everyone, there were not thieves, no rapists, no governmental corruption. The Dominican Republic was a company and he was the CEO, CFO,CAO and overall the Benefactor of the new independence.

The numbers of people killed during Balaguer first 12 years used to be posted on a wall at the UASD univ.

The best president so far is Leonel F. he has not killed a lot of people, he fixes the economy in a matter of months and bring stabilty to the country.


Bonao99

 

[NALs]

The numbers of people killed during Balaguer first 12 years used to be posted on a wall at the UASD univ.

The best president so far is Leonel F. he has not killed a lot of people, he fixes the economy in a matter of months and bring stabilty to the country.


Bonao99

Most of those deaths occurred during a time when the new political and economic hegemony in the country, with the help and direction of the U.S., was being put in place and solidified.

Whether it was Balaguer or some other guy, a lot of people were going to die in that time period. Whomever was not up for the challenge in cementing the new hegemony was swiftly removed from office (ie. Juan Bosch).

Anyone that threatened the new order in the country was also swiftly taken cared of. Its the way politics works in times of power vacuums and hegemony building.

As for the best president, Dr. Leonel Fern?ndez.

-NALs

 

[JRMirador]

I'm not going to vote on the best president, but in my book, the worst president is Mon C?ceres.

 

[Naked_Snake]

My two cents

I usually hate playing the role of devil's advocate, but in my humble opinion, Trujillo was the best president that the DR have ever had, because not only he built the infrastructure that would make the country's current economic performance a reality, but he also kept the country united against the internal enemies (the regional caudillos and other related rabble) and discouraged the encroachments of the haitians on our territory. Had he not taken the political power of the country when he did, it's a sure thing that the state would have gotten bankrupt, because the only thing that kept the Horacio Vasquez' administration on foot was the ransom payments that he had to make to the caudillos like Desiderio Arias and the like, and, had he failed to make those even on a single month, he would have taken the risk of being sacked, or worse, of Arias getting the entire Cibao independent from the rest of the Republic (as he already had his little kingdom on the northwestern line, where the government troops had to ask his permission to enter the territory).

On the haitian issue, granted, Trujillo's method wasn't the wisest one to deal with the matter, but, do you realistically think that he would have been able to recover those lands to dominican sovereignity had he not used deadly force or at least the hint of it? Also, for all the crying and garment tearing about the 1937 massacres, I'm always amazed at the fact that nobody speaks of the fact that the DR ended up losing the entire plateau central on the final settlement of the issue (some 3,165 kms2 more or less), with the towns of Saint Michel de la Atalaye, Hinche (the birthplace of Pedro Santana), Saint Raphael, Las Caobas and Tomassique, among others, the lands surrounding them being among the most fertile on the entire island. I'm of the opinion that, had he not make the show of force that he did, the country would have lost a lot more on the final settlement, probably the entire northwestern and southwestern provinces, but this is only speculation on my part.

 

[Mr. Lu]

??

I usually hate playing the role of devil's advocate...

Then don't. Serves no good.

Are you honestly defending Trujillo? What?

I was only able to post this after cleaning up the water I spilled after reading that post. Ludicrous to say the least.


Trujillo was a monger. A murderer. A rapist. A thief. A psychopath. He is the reason this country is the way it is. When you walk outside you see the legacy of Trujillo in every Dominican that has modeled himself after the "Jefe." The DR's incompetence is a product of the great leader Trujillo, unfortunately the country has gone beyond the point of no return.

As for Fernandez a great president? What crill are you people smoking? He is the mark of potential unfulfilled, which makes him the greatest failure of them all. The man had the skills and the prospect of really doing something to change it all and didn't.

As per the question itself, its a misnomer. There have never been any great Dominican presidents. They have all ruined the country with leaps and bounds so the question should be, which President has done the least amount of damage?

Why so negative? Because presidents are defined by their successes in tough times, and the DR nor its presidents have ever had those challenges and have never risen to the occasion. They have all just continued implementing politics of the status quo. Roosevelt, Kennedy, etc stepped up what has Fernandez and the lot of them ever done? Balaguer? Jorge Blanco? uh....................um.................eh.......

Question: How many Dominicans does it take to screw in a light bulb?






Mr. Lu

 

[Naked_Snake]

Then don't. Serves no good.

Are you honestly defending Trujillo? What?

I was only able to post this after cleaning up the water I spilled after reading that post. Ludicrous to say the least.


Trujillo was a monger. A murderer. A rapist. A thief. A psychopath. He is the reason this country is the way it is. When you walk outside you see the legacy of Trujillo in every Dominican that has modeled himself after the "Jefe." The DR's incompetence is a product of the great leader Trujillo, unfortunately the country has gone beyond the point of no return.


Mr. Lu

At least we have only ONE screwed DR instead of having two or three screwed states on this part of the island. It's not my fault that your politically correct mindframe prevents you from seeing that the DR would have disappeared as a country if it kept the way set up by Vasquez, Arias and their ilk. The way I see things, Trujillo was only the expression of the country's yearning for peace and order (despite it being one of the graveyards in the end) and its weariness from all the mini wars that the caudillos subejected it from time to time, with the state being on the role of helpless spectator on the sidelines. At that point in time, the country only had two choices, either it succumbed to the disorder and lawlessness of the caudillos or it surrendered its liberties to a strongman (be it Trujillo or somebody else) who would have had the guts to break the multiplicity of interests threatening to break the country's unity apart.