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136-499: It was originally named Trujillo after the dictator Rafael Leónidas Trujillo , taking its present name after his assassination in 1961. It included what is now Monte Plata Province until 1992. The provincial capital is San Cristóbal . San Cristóbal is located in a valley surrounded by hills. Its climate is tropical with frequent rains, temperatures can fluctuate often. Foothills of the Cordillera Central are occupying

272-451: A demagogue and a dictator. Perón sympathised with the Axis powers when he was a colonel and Minister of War and even served as a diplomatic envoy to Fascist Italy . During his regime he kept close ties with Francoist Spain . He ferociously persecuted dissents and potential political rivals, as political arrests were common during his first two terms. He eroded the republican principles of

408-572: A 1944 plot and then published their correspondence to discredit him. Lescot fled into exile in 1946 after demonstrations against him. In 1947, Dominican exiles, including Juan Bosch , had concentrated in Cuba. With the approval and support of Cuba's government, led by Ramón Grau , an expeditionary force was trained with the intention of invading the Dominican Republic and overthrowing Trujillo. However, international pressure, including from

544-553: A better future could not occur. Generally, this has been the justification for personality cults that arose in totalitarian societies, such as those of Adolf Hitler of Nazi Germany , Joseph Stalin of the USSR , Kim Il Sung , his son Kim Jong Il , and currently ruling grandson Kim Jong Un , of North Korea , Mao Zedong of the People’s Republic of China and Hafez al-Assad of Syria , whose son Bashar al Assad currently rules

680-484: A collection of over ten thousand. Trujillo doused himself with perfume and liked gossip. His sexual appetite was rapacious, and he preferred mulatta women with full bodies. Trujillo was married three times and kept other women as mistresses. On 13 August 1913, Trujillo married Aminta Ledesma Lachapelle, with whom he had 2 daughters, Julia, who died as an infant, and Flor de Oro, who died of lung cancer in 1978. On 30 March 1927, Trujillo married Bienvenida Ricardo Martínez,

816-424: A cultural focus of the apparatus of the regime: reliance on top-down 'administrative measures': and a pyramidal structure of authority" which was created by a single ideal. The twentieth century brought technological advancements that made it possible for regimes to package propaganda in the form of radio broadcasts , films , and later content on the internet. Writing in 2013, Thomas A. Wright observed that "[i]t

952-556: A fervent Peronist, newspapers were censored and television and radio networks were nationalized, and only state media was allowed. He often showed contempt for any opponents, regularly characterizing them as traitors and agents of foreign powers. Those who did not fall in line or were perceived as a threat to Perón's political power were subject to losing their jobs, threats, violence and harassment. Perón dismissed over 20,000 university professors and faculty members from all major public education institutions. Universities were then intervened,

1088-437: A girl from Monte Cristi and the daughter of Buenaventura Ricardo Heureaux. A year later he met María de los Angeles Martínez Alba (nicknamed " la españolita ", or "the little Spanish girl"), and had an affair with her. He divorced Bienvenida in 1935 and married Martínez. A year later he had a daughter with Bienvenida, named Odette Trujillo Ricardo. Trujillo's three children with María Martínez were Rafael Leónidas Ramfis , who

1224-489: A glorious leader, often through unquestioning flattery and praise . Historically, it has developed through techniques of mass media, propaganda , spectacle , the arts , patriotism, and government-organized demonstrations and rallies. A cult of personality is similar to apotheosis , except that it is established by modern social engineering techniques , usually by the state or the party in one-party states and dominant-party states . Cults of personality often accompany

1360-590: A grand scale, and went into meat and milk production, operations that soon evolved into monopolies . Salt, sugar, tobacco, lumber, and the lottery were other industries which he or his family members dominated. Family members also received positions within the government and the army, including one of Trujillo's sons who was made a colonel in the Dominican Army when he was only four years old. Two of Trujillo's brothers, Héctor and José Arismendy, also held positions in his government. José Arismendy Trujillo oversaw

1496-739: A large part of the province, especially in the northwest. In addition there are other small elevations to the East and South (for example, the Lomas de Duveaux, south of Yaguate). The main rivers in the province are the Haina River, which constitutes the eastern limit of the province; the Nizao, which forms the border with the Peravia province, and the Nigua. Other rivers are Mana, Yubaso (or Blanco), La Toma and

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1632-511: A naturalized US citizen, the attempted murder of Betancourt, a staunch critic of Trujillo, and the murder of the Mirabal sisters , who were among his most notable opponents, in 1960, eroded relations between the Dominican Republic and the international community and ushered in OAS sanctions and economic and military assistance to Dominican opposition forces. After this momentous year, large segments of

1768-523: A person could be arrested for vagrancy without one. Those who did not join or contribute to the party did so at their own risk. Opponents of the régime were mysteriously killed. In 1934, Trujillo, who had promoted himself to generalissimo of the army, was up for re-election . By then, there was no organized opposition left in the country, and he was re-elected unopposed. In addition to the widely rigged (and regularly uncontested) elections, he instated "civic reviews" with large crowds shouting their loyalty to

1904-520: A personality cult centered around Nehru, his daughter Indira Gandhi & the Nehru-Gandhi family . Indira Gandhi has also been described as having a cult of personality during her administration. Following India's victory in the 1971 Indo-Pak war , Gandhi was hailed by many as a manifestation of the Hindu goddess Durga . Devakanta Barooah , the then Congress party president had remarked ' India

2040-492: A response to the disaster, Trujillo placed the Dominican Republic under martial law and began to rebuild the city. He renamed the rebuilt capital of the Dominican Republic, Ciudad Trujillo ("Trujillo City") in his honor and had streets, monuments, and landmarks to honor him throughout the country. On 16 August 1931, the first anniversary of his inauguration, Trujillo made the Dominican Party , founded two weeks earlier,

2176-414: A result, one is able to manipulate others based entirely on the influence of public personality ... the cult of personality perspective focuses on the often shallow, external images that many public figures cultivate to create an idealized and heroic image." Adrian Teodor Popan defined a cult of personality as a "quantitatively exaggerated and qualitatively extravagant public demonstration of praise of

2312-664: A special purpose on Earth. BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra while campaigning in the Hindu holy city of Puri stated that even Jagannath (the form of the Hindu god Vishnu which is venerated there) worships Modi. The BJP is also stated to have created a cult of personality around Hindu Mahasabha leader V. D. Savarkar & Gandhi's assassin Nathuram Godse to oppose the dominance of Gandhian philosophy in Indian society. One study claims that India's political culture since

2448-517: A telegraph operator, which he held for about three years. Shortly after Trujillo, aided by his brother José Arismendy Petán , turned to petty crime: cattle rustling, check counterfeiting, and postal robbery. He spent several months in prison, which did not deter him, as he later formed a violent gang of robbers called The 42 . In 1916, the United States began its occupation of the Dominican Republic following 28 revolutions in 50 years. At

2584-595: A third term in the United States, Trujillo ran for president again and was elected unopposed. He served for two terms, which he lengthened to five years each. In 1952, under pressure from the Organization of American States , he ceded the presidency to his brother, Héctor . Despite being officially out of power, Rafael Trujillo organized a major national celebration to commemorate 25 years of his rule in 1955. Gold and silver commemorative coins were minted with his image. Brutal oppression of actual or perceived members of

2720-513: A way for him to justify his personal rule and it acted as a way to enable social and political integration. Mussolini's military service in World War I and survival of failed assassination attempts were used to convey a mysterious aura around him. Fascist propaganda stated that Mussolini's body had been pierced by shrapnel just like St. Sebastian had been pierced by arrows, the difference being that Mussolini had survived this ordeal. Mussolini

2856-473: Is Indira, Indira is India '. Her assassination in 1984 by her Sikh bodyguards sparked a massive wave of public grief & anti-Sikh violence . The Congress party led by her son Rajiv Gandhi utilised her death to win the general elections shortly held after . His assassination while campaigning in the 1991 general elections also led to widespread public grief, which was utilised by the Congress to win

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2992-412: Is a sortable table of the municipalities and municipal districts with population figures as of the 2012 census. Urban population are those living in the seats ( cabeceras literally heads) of municipalities or of municipal districts. Rural population are those living in the districts ( Secciones literally sections) and neighborhoods ( Parajes literally places) outside of them. For comparison with

3128-535: Is becoming evident that the charismatic leader, especially in politics, has increasingly become the product of media and self-exposure." Focusing on the media in the United States, Robert N. Bellah added, "It is hard to determine the extent to which the media reflect the cult of personality in American politics and to what extent they have created it. Surely they did not create it all alone, but just as surely they have contributed to it. In any case, American politics

3264-416: Is dominated by the personalities of political leaders to an extent rare in the modern world ... in the personalized politics of recent years the 'charisma' of the leader may be almost entirely a product of media exposure." Often, a single leader became associated with this revolutionary transformation and came to be treated as a benevolent "guide" for the nation without whom the claimed transformation to

3400-409: Is superhuman and has traces of God in him." The Opposition often accused Modi for spreading propaganda using popular media such as movies, television and web series. In 2021, Modi named the world's largest cricket stadium after himself. During the 2024 general elections , Modi tried to divinise himself in an interview, in which he stated that he viewed himself to be sent directly by God to serve

3536-544: The Bangladesh National Party ), Mujib came back to dominate public consciousness from 2008 under the Awami League government led by Hasina. Hasina has been criticised for overemphasising the role of her father & the Awami League in securing Bangladeshi independence at the cost of sidelining other prominent figures & political parties of the time. Hasina had amended the constitution to make

3672-481: The People's Republic of China from his rise in 1949 until his death in 1976. Mass media , propaganda and a series of other techniques were used by the state to elevate Mao Zedong's status to that of an infallible heroic leader, who could stand up against The West , and guide China to become a beacon of Communism . Mao himself, however, publicly criticized the personality cult which was formed around him. During

3808-539: The Tonton Macoute ( Haitian Creole : Tonton Makout ), indiscriminately tortured or killed Duvalier's opponents; the Tonton Macoute was thought to be so pervasive that Haitians became highly fearful of expressing any form of dissent, even in private. Duvalier further sought to solidify his rule by incorporating elements of Haitian mythology into a personality cult. Benito Mussolini was portrayed as

3944-836: The United States government . During World War II , Trujillo symbolically sided with the Allies and declared war on Germany , Italy and Japan on 11 December 1941. While there was no military participation, the Dominican Republic thus became a founding member of the United Nations . Trujillo encouraged diplomatic and economic ties with the United States, but his policies often caused friction with other nations of Latin America, especially Costa Rica and Venezuela . He maintained friendly relations with Franco of Spain , Perón of Argentina , and Somoza of Nicaragua . Towards

4080-664: The Yaque del Sur River . In 1934 he banned the slash-and-burn method of clearing land for agriculture, set up a forest warden agency to protect the park system, and banned the logging of pine trees without his permission. In the 1950s the Trujillo regime commissioned a study on the hydroelectric potential of damming the Dominican Republic's waterways. The commission concluded that only forested waterways could support hydroelectric dams , so Trujillo banned logging in potential river watersheds. After his assassination in 1961, logging resumed in

4216-510: The " Führer -cult". During the five election campaigns in 1932, the Nazi newspaper Völkischer Beobachter portrayed Hitler as a man who had a mass movement united behind him, a man with one mission to solely save Germany as the 'Leader of the coming Germany'. The Night of the Long Knives in 1934 – after which Hitler referred to himself as being single-handedly "responsible for the fate of

San Cristóbal Province - Misplaced Pages Continue

4352-609: The "historic balcony." Now he sometimes snapped at his adjutants when they came to him with the request that he show himself: "Stop bothering me with that!" The myth helped to unite the German people during World War II , especially against the Soviet Union and the Western Allies . During Hitler's early victories against Poland and Western Europe the myth was at its peak, but when it became obvious to most Germans that

4488-414: The 18th and 19th centuries made it increasingly difficult for monarchs to preserve this aura, though Napoleon III , and Queen Victoria appreciated its perpetuation in their carte-de-visite portraits which proliferated, circulated and were collected in the 19th century. The subsequent development of mass media, such as radio, enabled political leaders to project a positive image of themselves onto

4624-624: The 1920s, during the early years of the Nazi Party , Nazi propaganda began to depict the Nazi leader Adolf Hitler as a demagogue figure who was the almighty defender and savior of Germany. After the end of World War I and the Treaty of Versailles , the German people were left in turmoil under the Weimar Republic , and, according to Nazi propaganda, only Hitler could save them and restore Germany's greatness, which in turn gave rise to

4760-505: The 1930s, and exiles from Spain following its civil war . At the 1938 Évian Conference the Dominican Republic was the only country willing to accept many Jews and offered to accept up to 100,000 refugees on generous terms. In 1940 an agreement was signed and Trujillo donated 26,000 acres (110 km ) of his properties for settlements. The first settlers arrived in May 1940; eventually, some 800 settlers came to Sosúa and most moved later on to

4896-570: The 1937 Dominican championship at Estadio Trujillo in Ciudad Trujillo. Trujillo was energetic and fit. He was generally quite healthy but suffered from chronic lower urinary infections and, later, prostate problems. In 1934, Dr. Georges Marion was called from Paris to perform three urologic procedures on Trujillo. Over time Trujillo acquired numerous homes. His favorite was Casa Caobas , on Estancia Fundacion near San Cristóbal . He also used Estancia Ramfis (which, after 1953, became

5032-570: The American Secretary of State Cordell Hull signed the Hull–Trujillo Treaty, whereby the United States relinquished control over the collection and application of customs revenues, and the Dominican Republic committed to deposit consolidated government revenues in a special bank account to guarantee repayment of foreign debt. The government was free to set custom duties with no restrictions. This diplomatic success gave Trujillo

5168-628: The Cultural Revolution, Deng Xiaoping and others launched the " Boluan Fanzheng " program which invalidated the Cultural Revolution and abandoned (and forbade) the use of a personality cult. Longtime dictator of the Dominican Republic Rafael Trujillo (ruled 1930–1961) was the center of a large personality cult. The nation's capital city, its highest peak, and a province were renamed for him. Statues of "El Jefe" were mass-produced and erected across

5304-519: The Dominican Republic, and bridges and public buildings were named in his honor. The nation's newspapers had praise for Trujillo as part of the front page, and license plates included slogans such as "¡Viva Trujillo!" and "Año del Benefactor de la Patria" (Year of the Benefactor of the Nation). An electric sign was erected in Ciudad Trujillo so that "Dios y Trujillo" could be seen at night as well as in

5440-519: The Dominican Republic, compounding the dictator's paranoia. Trujillo began to interfere more and more in the domestic affairs of neighboring countries. He expressed great contempt for Venezuela's president Rómulo Betancourt ; an established and outspoken opponent of Trujillo, Betancourt associated with Dominicans who had plotted against the dictator. Trujillo developed an obsessive personal hatred of Betancourt and supported numerous plots by Venezuelan exiles to overthrow him. This pattern of intervention led

5576-537: The Dominican Republic. Squatters burned down the forests for agriculture, and logging companies clear-cut parks. In 1967, President Joaquín Balaguer launched military strikes against illegal logging. Trujillo encouraged foreign investment in the Dominican Republic, particularly from Americans. He gave a concession with mineral rights in the Azua Basin to Clem S. Clarke , an oilman from Shreveport , Louisiana . Trujillo tended toward peaceful coexistence with

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5712-484: The Dominican Republic. The brutal murder on Friday, 25 November 1960, of the three Mirabal sisters , Patria, María Teresa and Minerva, who opposed Trujillo's dictatorship, further increased discontent with his repressive rule. The dictator had become an embarrassment to the United States, and relations became especially strained after the Betancourt incident. Trujillo's "central arch" was his instinct for power. This

5848-510: The Dominican establishment, including the military, turned against him. On 30 May 1961, Trujillo was assassinated by a group of conspirators led by general Antonio Imbert Barrera . In the immediate aftermath, Trujillo's son Ramfis took temporary control of the country, executing most of the conspirators. By November 1961, the Trujillo family was pressured into exile by the titular president Joaquín Balaguer , who introduced reforms to open up

5984-632: The Foreign Office), Estancia Rhadames , and a home at Playa de Najayo. Less frequently he stayed at places he owned in Santiago de los Caballeros , Constanza , La Cumbre , San José de las Matas , and elsewhere. He maintained a penthouse at the Embajador Hotel in the capital. While Trujillo was nominally a Roman Catholic , his devotion was limited to a perfunctory role in public affairs; he placed faith in local folk religion . He

6120-691: The Garde d'Haiti, and Élie Lescot , at that time the Haitian ambassador in Ciudad Trujillo (Santo Domingo). After the settlement, when further border incursions occurred, Trujillo initiated the Parsley Massacre . Known as La Masacre del Perejil in Spanish, the massacre was started by Trujillo in October 1937. Claiming that Haiti was harboring his former Dominican opponents, he ordered an attack on

6256-582: The German people" – also helped to reinforce the myth that Hitler was the sole protector of the Volksgemeinschaft , the ethnic community of the German people. Nazi Propaganda Minister Joseph Goebbels cultivated an image of Hitler as a "heroic genius". The myth also gave rise to the saying and concept, "If only the Führer knew". Germans thought that problems which they ascribed to the Nazi hierarchy would not have occurred if Hitler had been aware of

6392-642: The Goya processing plant as well as the glass industrial park, the free zones of Itabo, Nigua and the armory, the CEDELCA washbasin, the Dominican Quala factory, the Domicen cement and colon cement plants, the tropic products (coco López) manufactures as well as the marmotech, Tecnotiles and Star marble plants, among others Business. However, due to its proximity to Santo Domingo, the population moves to work in

6528-528: The Hasina administration, including an official biopic in collaboration with the Indian government. The Hasina government converted Mujib's residence in the capital city of Dhaka , where he & his family was assassinated by mutinous military personnel in 1975 , into a memorial museum . Hasina designated the day of Mujib's assassination as the National Day of Mourning . The Hasina government also made

6664-681: The Itabo, Sainaguá and Najayo streams. The downtown capital area is the main financial, commercial and industrial center of the province, as well as the main educational and political centers (Government, City Hall). Economic activities are influenced by the fact that it is the main city closest to Santo Domingo . The industry (in San Cristóbal and the free zones of Bajos de Haina, Nigua and Villa Altagracia), small-scale agriculture (except citrus plantations in Villa Altagracia, coffee in

6800-489: The Muslim general and warlord Ma Lin was interviewed, he was described as having "high admiration for and unwavering loyalty to Chiang Kai-shek". A cult of personality has been developing around Xi Jinping since he became General Secretary of the ruling Chinese Communist Party and the regime's paramount leader in 2012. Mao Zedong's cult of personality was a prominent part of Chairman Mao Zedong 's rule over

6936-541: The Patriotic Coalition of Citizens (Spanish: Coalición patriotica de los ciudadanos ), with Estrella as his running mate. The other candidates became targets of harassment by the army. When it became apparent that the army would allow only Trujillo to campaign unhindered, the other candidates pulled out. Ultimately, the Trujillo-Estrella ticket was proclaimed victorious with an implausible 99% of

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7072-576: The SIM, the Servicio de Inteligencia Militar , efficiently organized by Johnny Abbes , who operated in Cuba, Mexico, Guatemala, New York, Costa Rica, and Venezuela. Some cases reached international notoriety such as the disappearance of Jesús de Galíndez and the murder of the Mirabal sisters , which further eroded Trujillo's critical support by the US government. After Trujillo approved an assassination attempt on

7208-473: The Trujillo dictatorship has been judged more prominent and more brutal than its contemporaries. Trujillo remains a polarizing figure in the Dominican Republic, as the sheer longevity of his rule makes a detached evaluation difficult. While his supporters credit him for bringing long-term stability, economic growth and prosperity, doubling life expectancy of average Dominicans and multiplying the GDP, critics denounce

7344-592: The Trujillo government's extensive use of state terrorism was prolific even beyond national borders, including the attempted assassination of Venezuelan President Rómulo Betancourt in 1960, the abduction and disappearance in New York City of the Basque exile Jesús Galíndez in 1956, and the murder of Spanish writer José Almoina in Mexico, also in 1960. These acts, particularly the presumed murder of Galíndez,

7480-694: The United States example of two presidential terms, he stated, "I voluntarily, and against the wishes of my people, refuse re-election to the high office." In fact, a vigorous re-election campaign had been launched in the middle of 1937 but the international uproar that followed the Haitian massacre later that year forced Trujillo to announce his "return to private life." Consequently, the Dominican Party nominated Trujillo's handpicked successor, 61-year-old vice-president Jacinto Peynado , with Manuel de Jesús Troncoso his running mate. They appeared alone on

7616-528: The United States, made the exiles abort the expedition. In turn, when Fulgencio Batista was in power, Trujillo initially supported anti-Batista supporters of Carlos Prío Socarrás in Oriente Province in 1955; however, weapons Trujillo sent were soon inherited by Fidel Castro 's insurgents when Prío allied with Castro; Dominican-made Cristóbal carbines and hand grenades became the rebels' standard weapons. After 1956, when Trujillo saw that Castro

7752-459: The United States. Refugees from Europe broadened the Dominican Republic's tax base and added more whites to the predominantly mixed-race nation. Trujillo's government favored white refugees over others while Dominican troops expelled illegal immigrants, resulting in the 1937 Parsley Massacre of Haitian migrants. The Trujillo regime greatly expanded the Vedado del Yaque, a nature reserve around

7888-669: The Venezuelan President Rómulo Ernesto Betancourt Bello , the Organization of American States and the United States blocked Trujillo's access to US sugar quota profits. In April 1962, after the flight of the Trujillo family from the country, Attorney General Eduardo Antonio Garcia Vasquez reported that in the previous five years, the former regime was responsible for 5,700 deaths, either as known murders, or of those missing but presumed dead. The SIM often denied victims' families

8024-563: The Venezuelan government to take its case against Trujillo to the Organization of American States (OAS), a move that infuriated Trujillo, who ordered his agents to plant a bomb in Betancourt's car. The assassination attempt, carried out on Friday, 24 June 1960, injured but did not kill the Venezuelan president. The Betancourt incident inflamed world opinion against Trujillo. Outraged OAS members voted unanimously to sever diplomatic relations with his government and impose economic sanctions on

8160-504: The ballot in the 1938 election. Trujillo kept his positions as generalissimo of the army and leader of the Dominican Party. It was understood that Peynado was merely a puppet, and Trujillo still held all governing power in the nation. Peynado increased the size of the electric "Dios y Trujillo" sign and died on 7 March 1940, with Troncoso serving out the rest of the term. However, in 1942, with US President Franklin Roosevelt having run for

8296-485: The birthdays of Mujib, his wife Sheikh Fazilatunessa , eldest son Sheikh Kamal & youngest son Sheikh Russel as official government holidays, alongside March 7 (on that day in 1971, Mujib declared Bangladesh's seccession at a speech in Dhaka ). Under Hasina's rule, the country was doted with numerous statues of Mujib alongside several roads & prominent institutions named after him. Critics state that Hasina utilises

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8432-418: The border that slaughtered tens of thousands of Haitians as they tried to escape. The number of dead is still unknown, but it is now calculated between 12,000 and 30,000. The Dominican military used machetes to murder and decapitate many of the victims; they also took people to the port of Montecristi, where many victims were thrown into the sea to drown with their hands and feet bound. The Haitian response

8568-624: The budget for national defense. A foreign legion was formed to defend Haiti, as it was expected that Castro might invade the Haitian part of the island first and remove François Duvalier as well. A Cuban plane with 56 fighting men landed near Constanza , Dominican Republic, on Sunday, 14 June 1959, and six days later more invaders brought by two yachts landed at the north coast. However, the Dominican Army prevailed. In turn, in August 1959, Johnny Abbes attempted to support an anti-Castro group led by Escambray near Trinidad, Cuba . The attempt, however,

8704-488: The capital city, as well as the populations of Bajos de Haina and nigua. Currently, San Cristóbal is one of the cities with the best rates in the area of telecommunications. It has the services of the main telephone companies in the country, as well as various cable and satellite television companies. The province as of June 20, 2006 is divided into the following municipalities ( municipios ) and municipal districts ( distrito municipal - D.M.) within them: The following

8840-691: The commander of the National Police in 1924, he was named brigadier general in 1928, Trujillo militarized the police, turning it into an army. It evolved into a de facto independent body under his control. A rebellion or coup d'état against President Vásquez broke out in February 1930 in Santiago. Trujillo secretly cut a deal with the rebel leader Rafael Estrella Ureña . In return for Trujillo letting Estrella take power, Estrella would allow Trujillo to run for president in new elections . As

8976-422: The country as a way to stay in power and forced statewide censorship on most media. Following his election, he built a personality cult around both himself and his wife so pervasive it is still a part of Argentina's current political life. During Perón's regime, schools were forced to read Evita's biography La Razón de mi Vida , union and government jobs were only given to those who could prove themselves to be

9112-545: The country, and bridges and public buildings were named in his honor. Automobile license plates included slogans such as "¡Viva Trujillo!" and "Año Del Benefactor De La Patria" (Year of the Benefactor of the Nation). 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 el cielo, Trujillo en la tierra" (God in Heaven, Trujillo on Earth). As time went on,

9248-558: The country. Admiration for Mao Zedong has remained widespread in China in spite of somewhat general knowledge of his actions. In December 2013, a Global Times poll revealed that over 85% of Chinese viewed Mao's achievements as outweighing his mistakes. Jan Plamper argues while Napoleon III made some innovations in France , it was Benito Mussolini in Italy in the 1920s who originated

9384-449: The creation of the main radio station, La Voz Dominicana , and later the television station, the fourth in the Caribbean. By 1937 Trujillo's annual income was about $ 1.5 million ($ 32 million in 2023); at the time of his death the state took over 111 Trujillo-owned companies. His love of fine and ostentatious clothing was displayed in elaborate uniforms and suits, of which he collected almost two thousand. Fond of neckties, he amassed

9520-418: The cult and thereby in sustaining the regime itself. The North Korean cult of personality is a large part of Juche and totalitarianism . Yakov Novichenko , a Soviet military officer who saved Kim Il Sung's life on 1 May 1946, is reported to also have developed a cult of personality around 1984. He is considered the only non-Korean to have developed a cult of personality there. Ferdinand Marcos developed

9656-430: The cult as integral to Stalin's power or as evidence of Stalin's megalomania." In Latin America, Cas Mudde and Cristóbal Rovira Kaltwasser link the "cult of the leader" to the concept of the caudillo , a strong leader "who exercises a power that is independent of any office and free of any constraint." These populist strongmen are portrayed as "masculine and potentially violent" and enhance their authority through

9792-474: The cult of personalities to be a patriarch. The idea of the cult of personalities that coincides with the Marxist movements gains popular footing among the men in power with the idea that they would be the "fathers of the people". By the end of the 1920s, the male features of the cults became more extreme. Pittman identifies that these features became roles including the "formal role for a [male] 'great leader' as

9928-528: The day. Eventually, even churches were required to post the slogan "Dios en el cielo, Trujillo en la tierra" (God in Heaven, Trujillo on Earth). As time went on, the order of the phrases 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. Trujillo was eligible to run again in 1938, but, citing

10064-434: The decline of the Congress' single-handed dominance over national politics from the 1990s has paved way for personality cults centered around leaders of the small regional parties, derived from hero-worship of sportspersons & film industry celebrities and the concept of bhakti , which in turn has fostered nepotism , cronyism & sycophancy. Among these leaders, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J. Jayalalitha had one of

10200-414: The domain of publicity ... There are various views about what constitutes a cult of personality in a leader. Historian Jan Plamper wrote that modern-day personality cults display five characteristics that set them apart from "their predecessors": The cults are secular and "anchored in popular sovereignty"; their objects are all males; they target the entire population, not only the well-to-do or just

10336-537: The dominance of Nehruvian ideals, a product of Nehru's personality cult and the associated statism, i.e. the overarching faith in the state and the leadership. However, Nehru himself actively discouraged the creation of a cult of personality around him. He wrote an essay titled 'Rashtrapati' in 1937 published in the Modern Review warning people about dictatorship and emphasizing the value of questioning leaders. The Congress party has been accused of promoting

10472-575: The early 1930s, the myth was given credence due to Hitler's perceived ability to revive the German economy during the Great Depression . However, Albert Speer wrote that by 1939, the myth was under threat and the Nazis had to organize cheering crowds to turn up to events. Speer wrote: The shift in the mood of the population, the drooping morale which began to be felt throughout Germany in 1939,

10608-524: The elections despite unfavorable circumstances. Current Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is often criticized for creating a personality cult around him. Despite some setbacks and criticism, Modi's charisma and popularity was a key factor that helped the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) return to power in the 2019 general elections . Shivraj Singh Chouhan , the chief minister of the country's second largest state , said in 2022, "He

10744-512: The embodiment of Italian Fascism and was keen to be seen as such. Mussolini was styled by other Italian fascists as Il Duce ("The Leader"). Since Mussolini was represented as an almost omniscient leader, a common saying in Italy during Mussolini's rule was "The Duce is always right" (Italian: Il Duce ha sempre ragione ). Mussolini became a unifying force in Italy in order for ordinary Italians to put their difference to one side with local officials. The personality cult surrounding Mussolini became

10880-452: The end of his rule, his relationship with the United States deteriorated. Early on, Trujillo determined that Dominican financial affairs had to be put in order, and that included ending the United States's role as collector of Dominican customs—a situation that had existed since 1907 and was confirmed in a 1924 convention signed at the end of the occupation. Negotiations started in 1936 and lasted four years. On 24 September 1940, Trujillo and

11016-441: The faculty was pressured to get in line and those who resisted were blacklisted , dismissed or exiled. Numerous prominent cultural and intellectual figures were imprisoned. Thousands of artists, scientists, writers and academics left the country, migrated to North America or Europe. Union leaders and political rivals were arrested and tortured for years and were only released after Perón was deposed. Mujibism initially began as

11152-493: The game of baseball , the dictator invited many black American players to the Dominican Republic, where they received good pay for playing on first-class, un-segregated teams. The great Negro league star Satchel Paige pitched for the Dragones de Ciudad Trujillo , a team organized by Trujillo. Paige later claimed, jokingly, that his guards positioned themselves "like a firing squad" to encourage him to pitch well. Los Dragones won

11288-499: The government, which would in turn create more support for Trujillo. In 1936, at the suggestion of Mario Fermín Cabral , the Congress of the Dominican Republic voted overwhelmingly to change the name of the capital from Santo Domingo to Ciudad Trujillo . The province of San Cristóbal was renamed to "Trujillo" and the nation's highest peak, Pico Duarte to Pico Trujillo. Statues of "El Jefe" were mass-produced and erected across

11424-466: The heavy-handed and violent nature of his regime, including the murder of tens of thousands, and xenophobia towards Haitians, as well as the Trujillo family's nepotism, widespread corruption and looting of the country's natural and economic resources. Rafael Leónidas Trujillo y Molina was born on 24 October 1891 in San Cristóbal, Dominican Republic , into a lower-middle class family. His father

11560-599: The ideological demands of the cult, especially as Stalin himself presented it in 1938 in Short Course on the History of the All-Union Communist Party (Bolsheviks) , which became the official history. Historian David L. Hoffmann states "The Stalin cult was a central element of Stalinism , and as such it was one of the most salient features of Soviet rule ... Many scholars of Stalinism cite

11696-409: The leader." He also identified three causal "necessary, but not sufficient, structural conditions, and a path-dependent chain of events which, together, lead to the cult formation: a particular combination of patrimonialism and clientelism , lack of dissidence, and systematic falsification pervading the society's culture." One underlying characteristic, as explained by John Pittman, is the nature of

11832-475: The leaders of totalitarian or authoritarian governments. They can also be seen in some monarchies , theocracies , failed democracies , and even in liberal democracies . Throughout human history, monarchs and other heads of state were frequently treated with enormous reverence and they were also thought to be endowed with super-human qualities. Through the principle of the divine right of kings , notably in medieval Europe, rulers were said to hold office by

11968-522: The masses as never before. It was from these circumstances in the 20th century that the most notorious personality cults arose. Frequently, these cults are a form of political religion . The advent of the Internet and the World Wide Web in the 21st century has renewed the personality cult phenomenon. Disinformation via social media platforms and the twenty-four hour news cycle has enabled

12104-583: The masses ... probably reflects better than anything else, the attitudes of the population. The cult of personality which surrounds North Korea 's ruling family, the Kim family , has existed for decades and it can be found in many aspects of North Korean culture . Although not acknowledged by the North Korean government , many defectors and Western visitors state there are often stiff penalties for those who criticize or do not show "proper" respect for

12240-603: The model of dictator-as-cult-figure that was emulated by Hitler, Stalin and the others, using the propaganda powers of a totalitarian state . Pierre du Bois de Dunilac argues that the Stalin cult was elaborately constructed to legitimize his rule. Many deliberate distortions and falsehoods were used. The Kremlin refused access to archival records that might reveal the truth, and key documents were destroyed. Photographs were altered and documents were invented. People who knew Stalin were forced to provide "official" accounts to meet

12376-489: The most extensive ones. She was widely referred by leaders & members of her party as Amma ('mother' in Tamil , also used to refer to Hindu goddesses) & would prostrate themselves before her. Her government provided various kinds of subsidised goods under the brand name of Amma . Widespread violence broke out throughout the state when she was arrested on charges of corruption . A huge wave of public grief swept all over

12512-579: The mountains and onions in the plains of Najayo-Palenque) and ports (in Bajos de Haina and Palenque). It has good tourist activity, especially from national tourists who visit from Santo Domingo . The main centers are the beaches of Najayo, Palenque, El Balnearios de La Toma and the rivers Haina and Nizao. The province has considerable sources of jobs, in which the Nestlé factory the Sancela family group plant,

12648-436: The municipalities and municipal districts of other provinces see the list of municipalities and municipal districts of the Dominican Republic . Rafael Le%C3%B3nidas Trujillo Rafael Leónidas Trujillo Molina ( / t r uː ˈ h iː j oʊ / troo- HEE -yoh , Spanish: [rafaˈel leˈoniðas tɾuˈxiʝo moˈlina] ; 24 October 1891 – 30 May 1961), nicknamed El Jefe ( Spanish: [el ˈxefe] ),

12784-411: The nation's sole legal political party. However, the country had effectively become a one-party state with Trujillo's inauguration. Government employees were required by law to "donate" 10% of their salaries to the national treasury and there was strong pressure on adult citizens to join the party. Members had to carry a membership card, nicknamed the " Palmita " since the cover had a palm tree on it, and

12920-632: The occasion to launch a massive propaganda campaign that presented him as the savior of the nation. A law proclaimed that the Benefactor was also now the Restaurador de la independencia financiera de la Republica (Restorer of the Republic's financial independence). Haiti formerly occupied what is today called the Dominican Republic for 22 years – from 1822 to 1844. Prior to their occupation, Spanish colonial rule prevailed. Encroachment by Haiti

13056-599: The opposition was the key feature of Trujillo's rule from the very beginning in 1930 when his gang, "The 42", led by Miguel Angel Paulino, drove through the streets in their red Packard " carro de la muerte " ("car of death"). Trujillo also maintained an execution list of people throughout the world who he felt were his direct enemies or who he felt had wronged him. He even once allowed an opposition party to form and permitted it to operate legally and openly, mainly so that he could identify those who opposed him and arrest or kill them. Imprisonments and killings were later handled by

13192-476: The order of the phrases was reversed (Trujillo on Earth, God in Heaven). François Duvalier, also known as Papa Doc , was a Haitian politician who served as the president of Haiti from 1957 until his death in 1971. He was elected president in the 1957 general election on a populist and black nationalist platform. After thwarting a military coup d'état in 1958 , his regime rapidly became more autocratic and despotic . An undercover government death squad ,

13328-569: The period of the Cultural Revolution , Mao's personality cult soared to an unprecedented height. Mao's face was firmly established on the front page of People's Daily , where a column of his quotes was also printed every day. Mao's Selected Works were later printed in even greater circulation; the number of his portraits (1.2 billion) was more than the inhabitants in China. And soon Chairman Mao badges began to appear; in total, about 4.8 billion were manufactured. Every Chinese citizen

13464-416: The personality cult around her father to justify her own authoritarianism, crackdown on political dissent & democratic backsliding of the country. Following the violent overthrow of Sheikh Hasina in 2024, the cult of personality around Mujib is being systematically dismantled. Chiang Kai-shek had a cult of personality . His portraits were common in private homes and in public on the streets. When

13600-662: The political ideolody of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman , which was gradually converted into a cult of personality around him by his daughter Sheikh Hasina , leader of the Awami League , the party which under the leadership of Mujib, led Bangladesh's seccession from Pakistan . After being pushed to the sidelines by 2 successive military dictators Ziaur Rehman (who founded the Bangladesh Nationalist Party ) & Hussain Muhammad Ershad (who founded

13736-532: The presence of Mujib's portrait mandatory in every school, government office & diplomatic missions of the country & made it illegal to criticise Mujib, his ideals & his deeds, especially the one-party BAKSAL regime (1972-75) headed by him, through writing, speech or electronic media . Many events commemorating the birth-centenary of Bangabandhu ('Friend of Bengal' in Bengali , the honorific unofficial title given to Mujib in his lifetime) were launched by

13872-403: The rebels marched toward Santo Domingo, Vásquez ordered Trujillo to suppress them. However, feigning "neutrality", Trujillo kept his men in barracks, allowing Estrella's rebels to take the capital virtually unopposed. On 3 March, Estrella was proclaimed acting president, with Trujillo confirmed as head of the police and of the army. As per their agreement, Trujillo became the presidential nominee of

14008-456: The regime. The personality cult began soon after Kim Il Sung took power in 1948, and was greatly expanded after his death in 1994. The pervasiveness and the extreme nature of North Korea's personality cult surpasses those of Joseph Stalin and Mao Zedong . The cult is also marked by the intensity of the people's feelings for and devotion to their leaders, and the key role played by a Confucianized ideology of familism both in maintaining

14144-659: The regime. The murder ushered in civil strife which concluded with the Dominican Civil War and a US-OAS intervention, eventually stabilised under a multi-party system in 1966. The Trujillo era unfolded in a Hispanic Caribbean environment particularly susceptible to dictators. In the countries of the Caribbean Basin alone, his dictatorship overlapped with those in Cuba , Nicaragua , Guatemala , El Salvador , Honduras , Venezuela and Haiti . In perspective,

14280-480: The remains of their loved ones, disposing of them clandestinely. In the aftermath of Trujillo's assassination, very few of those arrested and killed in the subsequent crackdown had their remains returned, the majority believed by investigators from Vasquez's office to have been tossed to sharks, or were stuffed into an incinerator at nearby San Isidro airbase. Trujillo was known for his open-door policy, accepting Jewish refugees from Europe, Japanese migration during

14416-428: The ruling class; they use mass media; they exist where the mass media can be controlled enough to inhibit the introduction of "rival cults". In his 2013 paper, " What is character and why it really does matter ", Thomas A. Wright stated, "The cult of personality phenomenon refers to the idealized, even god-like, public image of an individual consciously shaped and molded through constant propaganda and media exposure. As

14552-494: The situation; thus Nazi bigwigs were blamed, and Hitler escaped criticism. British historian Ian Kershaw published his book The "Hitler Myth": Image and Reality in the Third Reich in 1987 and wrote: Hitler stood for at least some things they [German people] admired, and for many had become the symbol and embodiment of the national revival which the Third Reich had in many respects been perceived to accomplish. During

14688-506: The state, with some even committing suicide, following her death in 2016. Another leader, Mayawati , was also known for attempting to foster a cult of personality during her tenure as the Chief Minister of India's most populous state by getting constructed large statues of herself & the elephant (which was the electoral symbol of her party ) that were installed in public parks at the cost of government exchequer. Starting in

14824-468: The time, Trujillo was twenty-five years old and worked as a guarda campestre (overseer) at a sugar cane plantation in Boca Chica . The occupying force soon established a Dominican army constabulary to impose order. Trujillo joined the newly created National Guard in 1918 with the help of his employer along with US Major James J. MacLean, who was his maternal uncle Teódulo Pina Chevalier's friend, and

14960-596: The time, approving his rise among the ranks: he was promoted to lieutenant in 1919 and assigned to the San Pedro de Macorís garrison; he was later promoted to captain in 1922 while stationed in San Francisco de Macorís and given command of the National Guard 10th Company. In 1923 he was promoted to major and appointed Inspector of the 1st military district . President Horacio Vásquez named Trujillo

15096-487: The use of the cult of personality. Mudde and Kaltwasser trace the linkage back to Juan Perón of Argentina . Juan Perón , who was elected three times as President of Argentina , and his second wife, Eva "Evita" Perón , were immensely popular among many of the Argentine people, and to this day they are still considered icons by the leading Justicialist Party . In contrast, academics and detractors often considered him

15232-488: The vote. In a note to the State Department, American ambassador Charles Boyd Curtis wrote that Trujillo received far more votes than there were actual voters. Upon taking office on 16 August, Truijllo assumed dictatorial powers which he retained for the next three decades. Two and a half weeks after Trujillo ascended to the presidency, the destructive Hurricane San Zenón hit Santo Domingo and left 2000 dead. As

15368-607: The war was lost then the myth was exposed and Hitler's popularity declined. A report is given in the little Bavarian town of Markt Schellenberg on March 11, 1945: When the leader of the Wehrmacht unit at the end of his speech called for a Sieg Heil for the Führer, it was returned neither by the Wehrmacht present, nor by the Volkssturm , nor by the spectators of the civilian population who had turned up. This silence of

15504-536: The widespread dissemination and acceptance of deceptive information and propaganda. As a result, personality cults have grown and remained popular in many places, corresponding with a marked rise in authoritarian government across the world. The term "cult of personality" likely appeared in English around 1800–1850, along with the French and German versions of the term. It initially had no political connotations, but

15640-815: The will of God or the will of the gods. Ancient Egypt , Imperial Japan , the Inca , the Aztecs , Tibet , Siam (now Thailand ), and the Roman Empire are especially noted for their redefinition of monarchs as "god-kings". Furthermore, the Imperial cult of ancient Rome identified emperors and some members of their families with the divinely sanctioned authority ( auctoritas ) of the Roman State . The spread of democratic and secular ideas in Europe and North America in

15776-606: Was José Trujillo Valdez, the son of Silveria Valdez Méndez of colonial Dominican origin and José Trujillo Monagas, a Canary Islander sergeant who arrived in Santo Domingo as a member of the Spanish reinforcement troops during the annexation era . Trujillo's mother was Altagracia Julia Molina Chevalier, later known as Mamá Julia , daughter of peasant Pedro Molina Peña, also of colonial Dominican origin, and teacher Luisa Erciná Chevalier, whose parents were of creole Haitian origin. Chevalier, Trujillo's maternal grandmother,

15912-554: Was a Dominican military commander 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 ( Spanish : El Trujillato or La Era de Trujillo ),

16048-459: Was also compared to St. Francis of Assisi , who had, like Mussolini, "suffered and sacrificed himself for others". The press were given instructions on what and what not to write about Mussolini. Mussolini himself authorized which photographs of him were allowed to be published and rejected any photographs which made him appear weak or less prominent than he wanted to be portrayed as in a particular group. Italy's war against Ethiopia (1935–37)

16184-525: Was an ongoing process, and when Trujillo took over, specifically the northwestern border region had become increasingly "Haitianized". The border was poorly defined. In 1933, and again in 1935, Trujillo met the Haitian President Sténio Vincent to settle the border issue. By 1936, they reached and signed a settlement. At the same time, Trujillo plotted against the Haitian government by linking up with General Calixte, Commander of

16320-567: Was born on 5 June 1929, María de los Ángeles del Sagrado Corazón de Jesús (Angelita), born in Paris on 10 June 1939, and Leónidas Rhadamés, born on 1 December 1942. Ramfis and Rhadamés were named after characters in Giuseppe Verdi 's opera Aida . In 1937, Trujillo met Lina Lovatón Pittaluga, an upper-class debutante with whom he had two children, Yolanda in 1939, and Rafael, born on 20 June 1943. In spite of Trujillo's indifference to

16456-403: Was coupled with an intense desire for money, which he recognized as a source of and support for power. Up at four in the morning, he exercised, studied the newspaper, read many reports, and completed papers before breakfast. At the office by nine, he continued his work, and took lunch by noon. After a walk, he continued to work until 7:30 pm. After dinner, he attended functions, held discussions, or

16592-670: Was driven around incognito in the city "observing and remembering." Until Santo Domingo 's National Palace was built in 1947, he worked out of the Casas Reales , the colonial-era Viceregal center of administration. Today the building is a museum; on display are his desk and chair, along with a massive collection of arms and armor that he bought. He was methodical, punctual, secretive, and guarded; he had no true friends, only associates and acquaintances. For his associates, his actions towards them were unpredictable. Trujillo and his family amassed enormous wealth. He acquired cattle lands on

16728-436: Was eclipsed by another personality cult that had developed around India's first prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru . C Rajagopalachari criticized the personality cult surrounding Nehru, saying that there should be an opposition group within the Congress. Rajagopalachari later formed the economically right-wing Swatantra Party in opposition to Nehru's socialist economic view. The expression ' Nehruvian consensus ' reflects

16864-411: Was evident in the necessity to organize cheering crowds where two years earlier Hitler had been able to count on spontaneity. What is more, he himself had meanwhile moved away from the admiring masses. He tended to be angry and impatient more often than in the past when, as still occasionally happened, a crowd on Wilhelmsplatz began clamoring for him to appear. Two years before he had often stepped out on

17000-474: Was gaining ground, he started to support Batista with money, planes, equipment, and men. Trujillo, convinced that Batista would prevail, was very surprised when Batista showed up as a fugitive after he had been ousted . Trujillo kept Batista until August 1959 as a "virtual prisoner". Only after paying US$ 3–4 million could Batista leave for Portugal , which had granted him a visa. Castro made threats to overthrow Trujillo, and Trujillo responded by increasing

17136-630: Was instead closely related to the Romanticist "cult of genius". The first known political use of the phrase appeared in a letter from Karl Marx to German political worker Wilhelm Blos dated to November 10, 1877: Neither of us cares a straw of popularity. Let me cite one proof of this: such was my aversion to the personality cult [orig. Personenkultus ] that at the time of the International, when plagued by numerous moves ... to accord me public honor, I never allowed one of these to enter

17272-704: Was muted, but its government eventually called for an international investigation. Under pressure from Washington, Trujillo agreed to a reparation settlement in January 1938 of US$ 750,000. By the next year, the amount had been reduced to US$ 525,000 (US$ 11.13 million in 2024); 30 dollars per victim, of which only two cents were given to survivors because of corruption in the Haitian bureaucracy. In 1941, Lescot, who had received financial support from Trujillo, succeeded Vincent as President of Haiti. Trujillo expected that Lescot would be his puppet, but Lescot turned against him. Trujillo unsuccessfully tried to assassinate him in

17408-459: 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 12,000 and 30,000 Haitians in the infamous Parsley massacre in 1937, which continues to affect Dominican-Haitian relations to this day. During his long rule,

17544-445: Was popularly known as "El Jefe" ("The Chief") or "El Benefactor" ("The Benefactor") but was privately referred to as Chapitas ("Bottlecaps") because of his indiscriminate wearing of medals. Dominican children emulated Trujillo by constructing toy medals from bottle caps . Cult of personality A cult of personality , or a cult of the leader , is the result of an effort which is made to create an idealized and heroic image of

17680-609: Was portrayed in propaganda as a revival of the Roman Empire , with Mussolini as the first Roman emperor Augustus . To improve his own image, as well as the image of Fascism in the Arab world , Mussolini declared himself to be the "Protector of Islam " during an official visit to Libya in 1937. During the days of the freedom struggle, Mahatma Gandhi had a cult-like following amongst the people of India. The assassination of Gandhi in 1948 led to widespread violence against Marathi Brahmins by his followers. After Gandhi's death, his cult

17816-535: Was presented with the Little Red Book – a selection of quotes from Mao. It was prescribed to be carried everywhere and displayed at all public events, and citizens were expected to quote the contents of the book daily. Mao himself believed that the situation had gone out of hand, and in a conversation with Edgar Snow in 1970, he denounced the titles of "Great Leader, Great Supreme Commander, Great Helmsman" and insisted on only being called "teacher". After

17952-404: Was registered in the school of Juan Hilario Meriño. One year later, he transferred to the school of Pablo Barinas, where he was educated by disciples of Eugenio María de Hostos and remained there for the rest of his primary schooling. As a child, he was obsessed with his appearance and would place bottle caps on his clothes that mimicked military decorations. At the age of 16, Trujillo got a job as

18088-476: Was soon promoted to second lieutenant and began training with the US Marines . Allegations of forgery were ignored when Trujillo applied and he was later acquitted by a panel of Marines following plausible accusations against him, including the alleged rape and subsequent extortion of a 16-year-old girl. Colonel Richard Malcolm Cutts trained Trujillo further and many Marine leaders praised his abilities at

18224-535: Was the daughter of Justin Victor Turenne Carrié Blaise, who was of French descent, and Eleonore Juliette Chevallier Moreau, who was part of Haiti's mulatto class. From her mother's side, Chevalier was granddaughter of Louise Moreau and her husband Bernard Chevallier Louverture, a mulatto Haitian high-ranking officer and politician that established in San Cristóbal with the Haitian occupation , from whom countless Dominican families descend, who

18360-511: Was the son of French nobleman Jean Baptiste Chevallier, Marquis de Pouilboreau and his wife Marie-Noëlle Louverture, the sister of Toussaint Louverture , the Father of the Nation of Haiti . Trujillo was the third of eleven children; he also had an adopted brother, Luis Rafael "Nene" Trujillo (1935–2005), who was raised in the home of Trujillo Molina. In 1897, at the age of six, Trujillo

18496-537: Was thwarted when Cuban troops surprised a plane he had sent when it was unloading its cargo. By the late 1950s, opposition to Trujillo's regime was starting to build to a fever pitch, especially among a younger generation who had no memory of the poverty and instability that had preceded the dictatorship. Many clamored for democratization. The Trujillo regime responded with greater repression. The Military Intelligence Service (SIM) secret police, led by Johnny Abbes , remained as ubiquitous as before. Other nations ostracized

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