Rafael Leonidas Trujillo

Rule: 1930-1937, 1942-1952

Origins
-Born in San Cristbal (southwest of the Dominican Republic) -Parents: Jos Trujillo Valdez (retailer), Altagracia Julia Molina Chevalier (quarter Hatiain) -11 siblings -Basic education sporadic and insufficient -Acquired elementary literacy at 6 -Continued education until 10 -At 16, acquired job as telegrapher -Rumors of criminal activities such as cattle robbery, falsification of checks, thieving from the postal office and promissory notes from 1910 to 1916

Ideology
-Declared self "Horacista", (supporter of Horacio Vsquez) -1916 made group called "The 44"assaulted warehouses, blackmailed, violent -Trujillo gains post in military 27 December 1918, promoted to second lieutenant -Eventually lieutenant 15 of the 16 -1921 Military school -Eventually promoted to captain -September 1924 appointed rank of Major, then Chief of the National Police -December 6th promoted to Lieutenant Colonel and Chief of Staff -1927 promoted to Brigadier General -Military lead of overthrow of Vasquez -Strong military dictaror, anti-communist -Closest to fascism

Use of Propaganda
-Little during rise because of militaristic rise -Coup put into power -Did have strong Cult of Personality -Fear primary instrumentmurder, torture -Typical Latin American strong military dictatorintimidation -During rule: -statues and busts -daily homages to his name and his family's -Buildings named after Trujillo and family -Homes badges with the slogan "God and Trujillo

Treatment of opposition
-Totally corruptmurders and bribes -Kills any threat -actual opposition -strong members of own party personally threatened by -Fully authoritarian, brutal -Convinces people to join party out of fear -Between blackmail and killed citizens, effectively destroyed opposition

Treatment of Minorities
-Massacre of Haitians in Dominican Republic Antihaitianismo -Due to extended bad relations between two countries -Had to hide own lineage -BUT open door policy towards Jewish immigrants and Spanish Civil War immigrants

Political and Economic Policies

-September 1930 hurricane opened ability to improve infrastructure -Wanted to arm the forces -High pay for forces -Government very army centric -One political partyarmy -Did not highly damage economy

Regional and Foreign Impact

-Wanted political/economic ties with the US -Resulted in bad relations with other Latin American countries -Very anti-Castro -Also due to attempted invasion by Cuban forces -Bad relations with Venezuela -On both sides, Venezuela brings case against Trujillo to Organization of American States, Trujillo plans assassination attempt

Dictator of the Month: August, 2007: Rafael Leonidas Trujillo Molina. 21 May 2010. <http://www.dictatorofthemonth.com/Trujillo/Aug2007TrujilloEN.htm>