Rafael Trujillo
October 24, 1891 - May 30th, 1961
The Dominican Republic has declared it's independence
in 1844 led by Juan Pablo Duarte, Rosario Sanchez and Ramon Mella.
Over 18 000 haitian
workers haved been killed under dictator Rafael Trujillo through the "operación
perijil" - which consisted in having Haitians pronounce correctly "perijil"
or killed
Rafael Leonidas Trujillo Molina ruled the Dominican Republic from 1930 until his assassination in 1961.
Officially, he was President only from 1930 to 1938, and again from 1942 to
1952.
His brother Hector Trujillo was President from 1952-60, and it
was only under the pressure of the Organization of American States that a
non-relative, Trujillo ally Joaquin Balaguer succeeded to Hector.
For over 30
years, Rafael Trujillo and his family held absolute power on the Dominican
side of the island of Haïti. Popularly, he was known as "El Jefe"
(The Chief), but he was privately referred to as "Chapitas" --
literally, "bottlecaps" -- because of his indiscriminate use of
medals. Dominican children emulated El Jefe by constructing toy medals from
bottle caps.
His tyranny, historically known as "La Era de
Trujillo" or "The Trujillo Era", is considered one
of the bloodiest of the 20th century, as well as a time of a classic
personality cult, when the monuments to Rafael Trujillo were in abundance.
Family and early life
Trujillo was born in San Cristóbal, in the southwest of the Dominican
Republic. His father, José Trujillo Valdez, ran a small store. His mother,
Altagracia Julia Molina Chevalier (later known as Mamá Julia), was
of Haitian descent, a fact that would later be suppressed when Trujillo ordered
the massacre of Haitians . Trujillo's siblings, all of whom had power in the government, were Rosa María
Julieta, Virgilio, José "Petán" Arismendy, Amable "Pipi"
Romero, Aníbal Julio, Nieves Luisa, Pedro Vetilio, Ofelia Japonesa and of
course Hector "El Negro" Bienvenido Trujillo Molina.
Trujillo's childhood was relatively uneventful; his education was sporadic,
with a few years at the Juan Hilario Meriño school and later at Pablo Barinas
school. At the latter, he was a disciple of Eugenio Maria de Hostos . When Trujillo was 16 years-old, his maternal uncle
Plinio Pina Chevalier got him a job as telegrapher. During the years leading
to 1916, it was rumored, but not proven, that Trujillo was a cattle rustler, a
forger and an embezzler, working with his brother Jose Arismendy (Petán).
Rising in the Ranks
 Trujillo entered politics as a self-described "Horacista", allied
with political leader and future president Horacio Vásquez against the "Jimenistas" of rival
Juan Isidro Jimenes Pereyra. Trujillo was part of the paramilitary group known
as "The 42", which terrorized would-be opponents. When the United
States occupied the Dominican Republic in 1916, Trujillo embarked on his
political and military career. In 1918 the American military government
disarmed the nation's military forces, and created the American-administered
Dominican National Guard. After writing to the Guard's commander, Colonel C.
F. Williams, Trujillo was accepted into the Guard on December 27, 1918. Within
two weeks, he was a second lieutenant, and rapidly advanced in the ranks.
Trujillo enrolled in the American operated military school at Haina in
1921. At year's end, he was assigned to a command at San Pedro de Macorís. He
was promoted to captain (without the formality of going from second to first
lieutenant). The Guard was reorganized as the Dominican National Police, and
Captain Trujillo led a company before becoming a Major in 1924. When Horacio Vásquez
won the 1924 presidential election, the American occupation forces withdrew
and Trujillo, as with the other Horacistas, served in the new government. He
became Chief of the National Police. His promotions continued-- Lieutenant
Colonel, then full Colonel and Chief of Staff, and, in 1927, a Brigadier
General. When Vasquez was preparing for the 1930 elections, General Trujillo
was Chief of the Army.
The Beginning of the Era
A rebellion against President Vasquez broke out in 1930 in Santiago, and
the rebels marched toward Santo Domingo. Trujillo was ordered to subdue the
rebellion, but when the mutineers arrived in the capital on February 26, they
encountered no resistance. Rebel leader Rafael Estrella was proclaimed acting
President when Vásquez resigned. Trujillo then became the nominee of the
Dominican Party in the 1930 presidential election, and won on May 16,
officially registering 95 percent of the votes in a disputed election. A judge
who declared the results fraudulent was forced to flee.
Virgilio Martinez Reyna and his wife were murdered by a machete armed mob on
June 1, 1930. On August 16, the 37 year old General took office, wearing a
sash with the motto, "Dios y Trujillo" (God & Trujillo).
Three weeks later, the destructive San Zenon Hurricane hit Santo Domingo
and left more than 3,000 dead. With relief money from the American Red Cross,
Trujillo rebuilt the city. On August 16, 1931, his first anniversary of his
inauguration, Trujillo created the Dominican Party as the sole legal political
party. Government employees were required to "donate" 10 percent of
their salary to the national treasury ,
and everyone was encouraged to join the Party upon becoming an adult. Party
members were required to carry a membership card, the "palmita", and
a person could be arrested for vagrancy without the card. Those who didn't
contribute, or join the party, did so at their own risk. Opponents of the
regime were mysteriously killed. In 1934, Trujillo (now "Generalissimo of
the Army") was up for re-election, but dispensed with the formalities.
Instead, he relied upon "civic reviews", with large crowds shouting
their loyalty to the government.
In October 1937, Trujillo oversaw the massacre of Haitians, as described
below.
Ciudad Trujillo and other honors
At the suggestion of Mario Fermín Cabral, the Congress voted
overwhelmingly in 1936 to rename the capital from Santo Domingo to Ciudad
Trujillo. The province of San Cristobal was created as "Trujillo", and the nation's highest
peak, Pico Duarte renamed in his honor. Statues of "El Jefe" were mass
produced and erected across the Republic, and bridges and public buildings
were named in his honor. The nation's newspapers now had praise for Trujillo
as part of the front page, and license plates included the slogan "Viva
Trujillo!" An electric sign was erected in Ciudad Trujillo so that "Dios
y Trujillo" could be seen at night as well as in the day. Eventually,
even churches were required to post the slogan, "Dios en cielo, Trujillo
en tierra" (God in Heaven, Trujillo on Earth). As time went on, the order
was reversed (Trujillo on Earth, God in Heaven). Trujillo was recommended for
the Nobel Peace Prize by his admirers, but the committee declined the
suggestion humanah. When El Jefe received (or summoned) a visitor, his four
bodyguards would have submachineguns trained upon the "guest" during
a meeting. .
Trujillo was eligible to run again in 1938, but, citing the American
example of two presidential terms, he stated that "I voluntarily, and
against the wishes of my people, refuse re-election to the high office."
His handpicked successor, 71 year old Vice-President Jacinto Bienvenido
Peynado, was nominated by the Dominican Party. The ticket of
Bienvenido and Manuel de Jesus Troncoso won as the only candidates on the
ballot, while Trujillo limited himself to being the "Generalissimo".
President Bienvenido increased size of the electric "Dios y
Trujillo" sign, and died on March 7, 1940, and author Troncoso served out
the rest of the term. In 1942, with FDR having run for a third term, Trujillo
ran for President again, and won overwhelmingly. He served for ten years, and
in 1952, stepped aside in favor of his brother, Hector Trujillo.
His daughter Angelita was designated "Queen" of the
"International Fair of Peace and Fraternity of the World" in 1955, a
pompous event that cost US$30 millions, and his wife María Martínez, a
semi-illiterate woman, was declared a writer and philosopher.
His Government
Even when not officially, the President, Trujillo always exercised absolute
power, leaving the ceremonial affairs of state to figureheads. Trujillo was
known for his open door policy, accepting Jewish refugees from Europe, and
then exiles following the Spanish Civil War. At the same time, Trujillo
developed a uniquely Dominican policy of racial discrimination known as Antihaitianismo
(or "anti-Haitian") against the mostly black Haitians. The receipt
of refugees from Europe helped broaden the tax base and to "whiten"
what had been a mixed race nation. Caucasian refugees were favored over
others, while Dominican troops were ordered to expel illegal aliens, the
result being the 1937 Parsley Massacre of Haitian sugarcane workers. Claiming, in 1937, that Haiti was
harboring his former Dominican opponents, Trujillo ordered an attack on the
border, and thousands of Haitians were slaughtered while trying to escape. The
number of the dead is still unknown, though it is now calculated between 8,000
and 15,000. (Collier's magazine reporter Quentin Reynolds estimated the
death toll at 10,000).
It was speculated that Trujillo was hoping for a war with Haiti, and possible
control of the entire island of Haïti. Instead, a financial settlement (of
$525,000 in reparations) was paid to Haiti and apologies were made.
One of Trujillo's main goals was to equip the Armed forces. The personnel
received generous pay and perquisites under his rule, and their ranks and
equipment inventories expanded. Trujillo maintained control over the officer
corps through fear, patronage, and the frequent rotation of assignments, which
inhibited the development of strong personal followings. The other leading
beneficiaries of the dictatorship--aside from Trujillo himself and his
family--were those who associated themselves with the regime both politically
and economically. The establishment of state monopolies over all major
enterprises in the country brought riches to the Trujillos through the
manipulation of prices and inventories as well as the outright embezzlement of
funds.
Ideologically, Trujillo leaned toward capitalism. Basically, however,
Trujillo was not an ideologue, but a Dominican caudillo expanded to monstrous
proportions by his absolute control of the nation's resources. His
anti-communism tended toward a peaceful coexistence with Washington; during
World War II Trujillo had sided with the Allies. As always, self-interest and
the need to maintain his personal power guided Trujillo's actions. Trujillo
encouraged diplomatic and economic ties with the U.S., but his policies often
caused friction with other nations of Latin America, especially Costa Rica, with
José Figueres Ferrer, and Venezuela,
with Rómulo Betancourt.
The Downfall and Assassination
The year 1957 was the beginning of the end. With Johnny Abbes, an obscure and heinous man directing the Intelligence Military
Service (the secret police), the regime became more violent and increasingly
isolated from other nations. This isolation compounded the dictator's
paranoia, prompting him to worsen his foreign interventionism. Months before,
the Spaniard Jesús de Galíndez, a professor at Columbia University in New
York was kidnapped and murdered in the Dominican Republic.
To be sure, Trujillo did have cause to resent the leaders of some nations,
such as Cuba's Fidel Castro, who assisted a small, abortive invasion attempt by dissident
Dominicans in 1959. Trujillo, however, expressed greater concern over
Venezuela's president Rómulo Betancourt (1959-64). An established and outspoken opponent of Trujillo,
Betancourt had been associated with some individual Dominicans who had plotted
against the dictator. Trujillo developed an obsessive personal hatred towards
Betancourt and supported numerous plots of Venezuelan exiles to overthrow him.
This pattern of intervention led the Venezuelan government to take its case
against Trujillo to the Organization of American States (OAS). This development infuriated Trujillo, who
ordered his foreign agents to plant a bomb inside Betancourt's car. The
assassination attempt, carried on June 24, 1960, injured but did not kill the
Venezuelan president.
The firestorm caused from the incident inflamed world opinion against
Trujillo. The members of the OAS, expressing this outrage, voted unanimously
to sever diplomatic relations and to impose strong economic sanctions on the
Dominican Republic.
Finally on the night of the May 30 1961, Rafael Trujillo was shot to death
in the street on Santo Domingo - San Cristobal Avenue, Santo Domingo. He was
the victim of an ambush plotted by Modesto Diaz, Salvador Estrella Sadhalà,
Antonio de la Maza, Amado Garcia Guerrero, Manuel Cáceres Michel (Tunti), Juan
Tomás Diaz, Roberto Pastoriza, Luis Amiama Tió, Antonio Imbert Barrera, Pedro
Livio Cedeño and Huàscar Tejeda.
According to American reporter Bernard Diedrich, the CIA supplied some of the guns used to kill the president. In a report to the
Deputy Attorney General, CIA officials described the agency as having "no active
part" in the assassination and only a "faint connection" with
the groups that planned the killing.However, an internal CIA memorandum states that an Office of Inspector General
investigation into Trujillo's murder disclosed "quite extensive Agency
involvement with the plotters."
His funeral was that of a man of state, with the long procession ending in
his hometown of San Cristóbal, where his body was first buried. The
then-president Joaquin Balaguerpronounced the last words in his memory. After this, the people
voted for the Trujillo family to leave the country, therefore his son Ramfis
Trujillo came back then ran away with his father's body.
Trujillo was buried
in Paris, in the cemetery "Cimetière du Père Lachaise", at the request of his relatives.
Legacy
Trujillo reorganized the state and the economy and left a vast
infrastructure to the country. But personal freedoms and rights were virtually
nonexistent, and the democracy and politics suffered under his regime.
To this day, Trujillo's influence in bureaucracy, military and some aspects
of the culture is still concrete. Incredibly, a few families and men who
became powerful -or already were- during the regime, are untouchable, even if
they are related to crimes or illegally possesses money or lands. One of the
best examples is "Pechito" León Estévez, Trujillo's ex son-in-law.
There are Dominicans who still defend Trujillo, longing for the times of
order and peace, even if the price could be tortures or their own lives, or
their families'.
His Family
In 1913, at the age of 22, Rafael Trujillo married Aminta Ledesma. Her
parents, poor farmers of San Cristóbal, unwillingly allowed the marriage of
their daughter with Trujillo, already of questioned reputation, because the
young woman was pregnant of who would the first daughter of Trujillo, Flor de
Oro Trujillo.
By 1924 they had divorced. Trujillo, who had now a better social
rank, married in 1925 to Bienvenida Ricardo, a young woman from a rich family
in Montecristi,
which did not prevent him to continue his extramarital love affairs.
The marriage fell into severe crisis when Trujillo fell with which would be
his third and last wife, María Martínez, from a respected family although of
low social scale. In 1937 Trujillo divorced Bienvenida (then pregnant with a
girl, Odette) and married María.
 María bore him three children: two sons Ramfis and Rhadamés, named after characters in Verdi's opera
Aida,
and one daughter Angelita. Also, throughout all this marriage his adulterous
escapades were well-known and documented, and he made no effort to hide them
from anyone. An example of this was his love affair with Lina Lovatón
Pittaluga, an upper-class debutant, shortly after marrying Martínez. But María Martínez was a dangerous woman, and Lovatón almost died poisoned
when it became known that Trujillo wanted to marry her.
Two of Trujillo's brothers, Héctor and José Arismendy, were also involved
in the government. José Arismendy Trujillo oversaw the creation of "La
Voz Dominicana", the main radio station and later, the television station
which became the fourth in the continent.
CONDECORACIONES RECIBIDAS
POR
RAFAEL
LEONIDAS TRUJILLO MOLINA
- GRAN CORDON DE LA ORDEN DE ISABEL LA CATOLICA (ESPAÑA)
- GRAN CRUZ DE LA ORDEN JEROSOLIMITANA DEL SANTO SEPULCRO
- MEDALLA DE ORO DE LA PAN AMERICAN SOCIETY (NEW YORK)
- GRAN CRUZ DE LA ORDEN DE CARLOS MANUEL DE CESPEDES (CUBA)
- GRAN CRUZ DE LA ORDEN HONOR Y MERITO (HAITI)
- GRAN CRUZ EN BRILLANTES DE LA ORDEN DEL PERU
- BANDA DE LA ORDEN DE LA REPUBLICA (ESPAÑA)
- GRAN CRUZ DE LA ORDEN DE SAN GREGORIO MAGNO (SANTA SEDE)
- EL COLLAR DE LA ORDEN AL MERITO (CHILE)
- EL COLLAR DE LA ORDEN DEL AGUILA AZTECA (MEXICO)
- GRAN CRUZ EXTRAORDINARIA DE LA ORDEN DE BOYACA (COLOMBIA)
- GRAN COLLAR DE LA ORDEN DEL LIBERTADOR (VENEZUELA)
- GRAN CRUZ DE LA ORDEN NACIONAL DEL CONDOR DE LOS ANDES
(BOLIVIA)
- GRAN CRUZ DEL MERITO EXTRAORDINARIO LIBANES
- GRAN CRUZ DE LA ORDEN DEL MERITO CON BANDA DE TRES BORLAS
(ECUADOR)
- GRAN CRUZ DE LA ORDEN VASCO NUÑEZ DE BALBOA (PANAMA)
- GRAN CRUZ NACIONAL DE LA LEGION DE HONOR (FRANCIA)
- EL GRAN CORDON DEL MERITO DE LA CARIDAD DE LA ORDEN FRANCESA
DE LA CRUZ DE SANGRE
- COMENDADOR DE LA ORDEN DE LA CORONA DE ITALIA
- GRAN CRUZ DE LA ORDEN HONOR Y MERITOS DE LA CRUZ ROJA CUBANA
- GRAN CORDON ROJO CON BORDES BLANCOS DE LA ORDEN CHINA DEL
BRILLANTE JADE, BAYLIO
- GRAN CORDON DEL HONOR Y DEVOCION DE LA SOBERANA MILITAR
ORDEN DE MALTA
- ORDEN DEL MERITO NAVAL DE PRIMERA CLASE (CUBA)
- GRAN CRUZ DE MEDHULA DE MARRUECOS
- GRAN CRUZ DE HONOR ACADEMICO DE LA ACADEMIA INTERNACIONAL
AMERICANA DE WASHINGTON
- ESTRELLA ABDON CALDERON (ECUADOR)
- GRAN CRUZ DE LA ORDEN NACIONAL ECUATORIANA AL MERITO
- GRAN CRUZ DE LA ORDEN NACIONAL DE LA CRUZ DEL SUR (BRASIL)
- GRAN CRUZ DEL MERITO PARAGUAYO (PARAGUAY)
- GRAN CRUZ DEL LEON NEERLANDES (HOLANDA)
- MEDALLA CONMEMORATIVA DEL VUELO PANAMERICANO PRO FARO DE
COLON DE CUBA.
- MEDALLA CONMEMORATIVA DEL PRIMER CENTENARIO DE LA MUERTE DEL
PROCER COLOMBIANO GENERAL FRANCISCO DE PAULA SANTANDER
- COLLAR DE LA ORDEN DE SAN MARTIN (ARGENTINA)
- GRAN CRUZ DE LA ORDEN DE CARLOS III (ESPAÑA)
- GRAN CORDON ESPECIAL DE LA ORDEN DE LAS NUBES PROPICIAS
(CHINA)
- GRAN COLLAR DE LA ORDEN DE RUBEN DARIO (NICARAGUA)
- GRAN PLACA DE HONOR Y MERITO DE LA CRUZ ROJA ESPAÑOLA
- CONDECORACION DE LA ORDEN SOBERANA Y CONTINENTAL DE MERITO Y
HONOR DE LA UNION DEMOCRATICA INTERAMERICANA
- GRAN CRUZ DE LA ORDEN DE MORAZAN (HONDURAS)
- MEDALLA "PALMAS DE ORO DE LA DEMOGRACIA", DE LA
LEGION PANAMERICANA (MEXICO)
- MEDALLA DE LA ORNEN HONORIFICA DE LA ESTRELLA DE HONOR AL
MERITO RURAL DEL INSTITUTO BRASILEÑO DE PROPAGANDA Y DEFENZA DEL CAFE.
- CRUZ DE GUERRA CON PALMA (FRANCIA)
- ORDEN DE SAN PEDRO Y SAN PABLO EN EL GRADO DE GRAN CRUZ
- ORDEN DEL MANUEL AMADOR GUERRERO, EN EL GRADO DEL GRAN
COLLAR ( PANAMA)
- ORDEN PIANA, EN EL GRADO DE GRAN CRUZ (SANTA SEDE)
 OSTENTA TAMBIEN LAS CONDECORACIONES DOMINICANAS
MENCIONADAS A CONTINUACION:
- COLLAR DE LA ORDEN DEL MERITO JUAN PABLO DUARTE
- COLLAR DE LA ORDEN HERALDICA DE CRISTOBAL COLON
- COLLAR DE LA ORDEN DE TRUJILLO
- COLLAR DEL VALOR
- GRAN COLLAR DE LA PAZ
- ORDEN MILITAR DE HEROISMO "CAPITAN GENERAL PEDRO
SANTANA" 7-1-56, DEC. 4364, OG# 9, 1956, E.N.
- CONDECORACION DEL "BENEFACTOR DE LA PATRIA", SEGUN
ART. # 4149, DE FECHA 14-5-55, SEGUN DECRETO # 1360, F. 23-12-55, CON UNA
EFECTIVIDAD, OG# 45-56.
- GRAN CORDON DE LA SUPREMA ORDEN DEL CRISANTEMO, ORTORGADO
POR EL GOBIERNO DEL JAPON, CON LA GRABACION EL EMPERADOR MEDALLA DE HONOR DE
ALFABETIZACION
- ORDEN DE LOS PIONEROS DE LIBERIA, PUBLICADO EN EL CARIBE, EN
FECHA 5-2-59.
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