Forty-nine years ago today at 2am, President Juan Bosch was the victim of a military coup and was arrested by a group of military officers who went on to form the provisional military government, and according to historian Bernardo Vega, so began the unraveling of the democratic process in the country.

This event was not only followed by the revolution of 1965, and then the US-Organization of American States troops invasion, but subsequently by the infamous 12 years of Joaquin Balaguer, which brings back painful memories to many Dominicans.

The historian recalls that the shadow of communism was hanging over the Caribbean as Bosch was elected as President only two months after the Cuban missile crisis, which brought the cold war to the area, and Bosch and his government were victims of this. Consequently, the military were afraid Bosch would bring communism to the country, which is why they plotted his downfall. In addition Vega points out that Bosch had been living in exile before the elections so there was much he did not know about the country, and this weakness was evident in the appointment of his cabinet, many of whom he did not know well.

Three days after the coup Bosch and his family were exiled to Puerto Rico and the country was left under the charge of what is known as the Triumvirate: Emilio de los Santos, Enrique Tavares Espaillat and Ramon Tapia Espinal.

Today the Juan Bosch Foundation will commemorate the events of 49 years ago.

www.diariolibre.com/noticias/2012/09/25/i353117_golpe-retroceso-contra-los-dominicanos.html

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