The ex presidents Joaquin Balaguer, Juan Bosch. Photo rsta.pucmm.edu.do
In a recent fact finding trip to Dominican Republic, Ms. Heather Berkman, Associate for Latin America of the prestigious Eurasia Group, which evaluates political risks for major companies around the word, told a group of journalists and economists of how foreigners view the country, and its Government.
Some of the participants complained of the Government’s often laissez faire attitude in pressing issues, using words such as puzzling, lost opportunities, popularity, respect, too soft, strong character, silence or complicity with corrupt officials, and even visionary to describe president Leonel Fernandez’s role.
This brings to mind a statement by Máximo Padilla, president of the Committee of Dominicans Abroad (CODEX), who proposed that we should work together with president Fernandez during this time of economic crisis.
But Berkman said those feelings coincide with what she hears in Washington and in other places her work takes her. She said the government will be hard pressed to come up with set of public policies to meet the increasing demands from the populace, and reaffirmed a complaint of the lack of transparency on official matters
Adding to all this was Pope Benedict XVI’s request to “definitively” eradicate corruption in our country
Most Dominicans want to work with Fernandez and credit him with many economic and institutional advances during his three terms in office, yet the constant calls to clean up his Cabinet seem to unfortunately fall on deaf ears, and remind us of the despot Joaquin Balaguer’s excuse for allowing rampant corruption, “I’m blind, deaf and mute.”
jorge.pineda@dominicantoday.com
Written by: Edward, 5 Apr 2009 1:44 AM
From: United States, Faux News: Unfair Imbalance
Hey at least fire and anuslingus is free in hell.
Devil: Joaquin it's your turn today for the binbin in the kulito
Joaquin: cono esto me pasa por ser un malvao right-wing extremist!
From: Dominican Republic, Boycott Dominican Tourism
Most Dominicans want to work with Fernandez and credit him with many economic and institutional advances during his three terms in office, yet the constant calls to clean up his Cabinet seem to unfortunately fall on deaf ears, and remind us of the despot Joaquin Balaguer’s excuse for allowing rampant corruption, “I’m blind, deaf and mute.”
He does listen to the Foreigners stealing everything, he listens to corrupt officials that steal and sell protected areas. He listens he just doesn’t care to do the right thing unless he is forced to.
From: United States
Who are the others pictured?
Written by: Cacique, 7 Apr 2009 9:27 AM
From: Dominican Republic
The second from right looks like Garcia Godoy, on the right is definitely the late Cardenal Beras...
Written by: Gizmo 
, 7 Apr 2009 2:29 PM
From: United States
Texasshoe thanks for bringing that fact up to light, but it's hard for people like Chillaxin201 to understand the said fact. The country is not owned or being sold to foreign interests, the problem with the negative yokels on this forum is the following, they don't understand the current world situation. We are living in a global economic village, every country is interconnected economically. The world's nations are no longer operating independently, they are all relying on trade and business on a worldwide scale, is it a perfect construct no is not!
From: United States
Only blind, deaf and mute Dominican leaders last long. It's a good strategy to stay in power for a long time in DR.
Written by: Louisny, 30 Apr 2009 5:16 PM
From: United States
Joaquín Balaguer was the best dominican president. Many of the members of PLD attacked Balaguer including Dr. Fernández who wrote a book against Balaguer in 1991; Un poder Usurpado. This particular book describes how Balaguer won many elections by fraud. Five years later, Fernández reached to power with the help of Balaguer. But what people do not know is that "
"Un Poder Usurpado" was collected from all the members of the PLD, and the bookstores of Dominican Republic. Now Leonel uses the image of Balaguer to promote himself when he wrote many awful things against Balaguer.
From: United States, OMNIPRESENT. El Cantinero de Jarabacoa. "Aguilucho desde Chiquitito"
what kind of example are you trying to give here louisny? he helped fernandez get to power because in his mind he had to chose the lesser of two so called evils. so out of his racist ambition he helped fernandez. an yes balaguer did win many elections by fraud an abused many dominicans. please balaguer the author an poet who lulled many dominicans to sleep with his coruption!!!
Written by: Louisny, 24 May 2009 11:14 PM
From: United States
To mirabal4ever.
In order to understand the characteristics, and the political wisdom of Joaquin Balaguer we need to digest a lot of good literature. Second, Juan Bosch did not have the courage to stay in the country fighting with his comrades during the civil war in 1965. Bosch left the country meanwhile Balaguer came in the middle of the war. That’s why Jose Francisco Pena Gomez took the leadership of the PRD, because Bosch left them alone, and Pena Gomez was facing all the trouble Bosch was supposed to be facing in the Dominican Republic. For that particular reason Balaguer stayed in power to create the democracy that we have today in the Dominican Republic. Now regarding to Leonel Fernandez, Fernandez criticized all the fraud Balaguer did, but Fernandez applied the same tools to win the election of 2008.
Written by: Louisny, 24 May 2009 11:14 PM
From: United States
Beside that Fernandez and all the members of PLD including Juan Bosch, they criticized Balaguer to death, and Fernandez’s government is exercising corruption even worse. You should read what Fernandez’s mother said to El Listin Diario. That she was one of those that used to criticize Balaguer, and now she understands that presidents they do not know everything, and they do not have the control of all the things that happen in a country. So she is justifying that Fernandez can not have the control of everything. It is the same thing; Balaguer did not have control of every murder committed in the Dominican Republic. You should read CAMANO LA ULTIMA ESPERANZA ALMADA by Matos Moquetes so you can learn about the behavior of the Dominican politicians. I am a young man, but I do not let myself be fooled by what Dominicans speculate and say. I investigate, and then I get into conclusions.
From: United States, OMNIPRESENT. El Cantinero de Jarabacoa. "Aguilucho desde Chiquitito"
it wasent even the fact that bosch dint have the guts to fight it was the fact also that he had no political guts to even govern a land! quite a short lived experiment i would say. he wasent even wanted. dont be fooled balaguer is a sesame street version of trujillo. why would such a man go to such extreme lengths to write books to get into the hands of the dominican people to influence them in his ideologies? he was a such a smart man in the sense that in order to combate the hungrey masses that were fed up with his ideas of cultura he diverted their attention to the haitian epidemic. now that is a diffrent subject to discuss at another time. i dont know how fernandez applied the same tools that you speak of which you dint even mention which tools. no president is perfect but please hipolito mejia was a joke an a public embarassment who couldnt stop borrowing. fernandez is still trying to clean up his mess. explain the big project that balaguer was behind that angered everyone. peace!
Written by: Louisny, 25 May 2009 11:07 PM
From: United States
To mirabal4ever,
You should read all the books Fernandez has written, specially “UN PODER USURPADO”. It is hard to discuss a topic with a person who hasn’t read any books written by Fernandez or any other Dominican leaders. If you have the chance to read the introduction of “UN PODER USURPADO”, and you make an analysis of the campaign of 2008 in the Dominican Republic you would understand what I am saying. This little discussion may me laugh, because it is impossible to reason with people that do not have the facts straight. As Balaguer once stated: “no compare el vuelo de un águila con el vuelo de una gallina”. It is comparing the earth and the moon. If you read “CAPITALISMO TARDIO EN LA REPUBLICA DOMINICANA” written by Juan Bosch, you will understand how beneficial Trujillo and Balaguer were in the economic sense to the Dominican Republic. The majority of the entire infrastructures built it by Balaguer were created with money from the Dominican State
Written by: Louisny, 25 May 2009 11:08 PM
From: United States
I do not like leaders that talk too much, and do not do anything. I like leaders that speak with actions. Balaguer was a leader that spoke with actions, and he faced all his enemies, and he defeated them. You know what I am wasting my time giving you a lecture about the Dominican history, because I am speaking with facts. You can see the references and books that I am mentioning so you can go out there and read it. To end this discussion, “huevo sancochado no saca” Peace….
From: United States, OMNIPRESENT. El Cantinero de Jarabacoa. "Aguilucho desde Chiquitito"
i know you think that im tryin to argue with you. i am not here to say that balaguer dint contribute to the economic development of the dominican republic cause that would be the most absurd thing for anyone to say. i acknowledge that the republic dint end up becoming the second cuba of the western hemisphere which of coarse we all know that. i humble myself in acknowledging that i have not read the literature of mr fernandez so i stand corrected from you. can i ask you though that do you really think that during balaguers first 12 years in office though he was just open to what the peoples feelings towards him were? all he was known for in that aspect was to jail an have executed so called political oponents. ok maybe he dint have a say in every single act performed but for anyone to say he dint know quien sabe? thanks for mentioning el refran de balaguer dat was kool... peace
Written by: Louisny, 27 May 2009 12:21 AM
From: United States
Balaguer was in a very difficult situation in 1966. The Dominican Republic came out of a revolution. The country was in an economic crisis, and there were divisions between groups that wanted to establish an antidemocratic government in the island. Balaguer had pressure from the MPD, PRD, and the military that wanted to have the entire control of the country. Beside that, there were many young people that were killed, because they used to do terrorist act such as putting bombs, attacking police officers, and high jacking banks. In order to establish a democratic government you need to protect the institution of the government, and the president was supposed to enforce the laws to create peaceful atmosphere for the rest of the citizens. I put it this way; from 1996 to 2000 Fernandez complained that he did not have any congressmen to pass laws and do the government that he wanted to do.
Written by: Louisny, 27 May 2009 12:22 AM
From: United States
In 2004 he won the election, and he was complaining that he did not have any congressmen. So, in 2006 the congressional election came, and Fernandez played and used all his power to put PLD members in the congress. But, the magazine Economist came out with an article saying that if Fernandez gets the majority of the congress he will have not an excuse to do the government he has dreamed. Fernandez won the majority of the congress and he has not done what he was expecting. Imagine that Fernandez can not accomplish his desire, and he is governing a country that it does not have the problem it had back in 1966. Now think about Balaguer fighting with all these groups that were against him, and he was trying to settle a democratic government.
From: United States
Louisny could you recommend a few more titles for those of us interested in understanding Balaguer? I haven't read CAPITALISMO TARDIO EN LA REPUBLICA DOMINICANA but I did read another Bosch title on Trujillo as well as work by other scholars and in general agree with your sentiment above regarding the job done by the tyrant in the economic realm. Just considering the total population in decades before and after his time says a lot.
Written by: Louisny, 27 May 2009 10:57 PM
From: United States
To Manhattanite;
You should read the books written by Balaguer to appreciate his political philosophy and his point of view regarded to the Dominican Republic. I have learned in life that I can not judge a person without listening to his/her reasons, and many Dominicans have judged Balaguer from what they have heard from people. There are dialectical explanation in things related to politics and economics that the majority of the Dominican population they do not understand. Even it is hard to say, but I am agreed with a few things Fernandez has done in his government. However, it does not mean that I have to be agreed with him because he is the president. He is a man like everybody else, and he makes a lot of mistakes. But I hope one day I meet him, so him and I we can discuss many topics about literature and economics. By the way Manhattanite, I live in New York City, and I am a product of the Dominican Diaspora.
From: United States
Louisny I was guessing so from your username. Last time I was at the libreria continental on 207th street in NYC I seriously considered a Balaguer book, but it was one he wrote in his dying days about the ancient Greeks. I'm a bit wary of his Europhilia and decided against it. Instead I grabbed a book by Franklin Pichardo which is a history of economics in DR. I'll be sure to let you know if his statistics or tables disagree with what has been said here about late capitalism in DR, but I doubt it will disagree. If you have notes or your shelf nearby I'd appreciate a specific title to read by Balaguer because like Bosch the man has quite a list of titles and it is hard to know where to start. Also predictably though I have easy access to finest works of Bosch the stores have little by Balaguer to browse through, so I have to order by a specific title. Thanks!
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Devil: Joaquin it's your turn today for the binbin in the kulito
Joaquin: cono esto me pasa por ser un malvao right-wing extremist!
He does listen to the Foreigners stealing everything, he listens to corrupt officials that steal and sell protected areas. He listens he just doesn’t care to do the right thing unless he is forced to.
Only blind, deaf and mute Dominican leaders last long. It's a good strategy to stay in power for a long time in DR.
"Un Poder Usurpado" was collected from all the members of the PLD, and the bookstores of Dominican Republic. Now Leonel uses the image of Balaguer to promote himself when he wrote many awful things against Balaguer.
In order to understand the characteristics, and the political wisdom of Joaquin Balaguer we need to digest a lot of good literature. Second, Juan Bosch did not have the courage to stay in the country fighting with his comrades during the civil war in 1965. Bosch left the country meanwhile Balaguer came in the middle of the war. That’s why Jose Francisco Pena Gomez took the leadership of the PRD, because Bosch left them alone, and Pena Gomez was facing all the trouble Bosch was supposed to be facing in the Dominican Republic. For that particular reason Balaguer stayed in power to create the democracy that we have today in the Dominican Republic. Now regarding to Leonel Fernandez, Fernandez criticized all the fraud Balaguer did, but Fernandez applied the same tools to win the election of 2008.
You should read all the books Fernandez has written, specially “UN PODER USURPADO”. It is hard to discuss a topic with a person who hasn’t read any books written by Fernandez or any other Dominican leaders. If you have the chance to read the introduction of “UN PODER USURPADO”, and you make an analysis of the campaign of 2008 in the Dominican Republic you would understand what I am saying. This little discussion may me laugh, because it is impossible to reason with people that do not have the facts straight. As Balaguer once stated: “no compare el vuelo de un águila con el vuelo de una gallina”. It is comparing the earth and the moon. If you read “CAPITALISMO TARDIO EN LA REPUBLICA DOMINICANA” written by Juan Bosch, you will understand how beneficial Trujillo and Balaguer were in the economic sense to the Dominican Republic. The majority of the entire infrastructures built it by Balaguer were created with money from the Dominican State
You should read the books written by Balaguer to appreciate his political philosophy and his point of view regarded to the Dominican Republic. I have learned in life that I can not judge a person without listening to his/her reasons, and many Dominicans have judged Balaguer from what they have heard from people. There are dialectical explanation in things related to politics and economics that the majority of the Dominican population they do not understand. Even it is hard to say, but I am agreed with a few things Fernandez has done in his government. However, it does not mean that I have to be agreed with him because he is the president. He is a man like everybody else, and he makes a lot of mistakes. But I hope one day I meet him, so him and I we can discuss many topics about literature and economics. By the way Manhattanite, I live in New York City, and I am a product of the Dominican Diaspora.