Second Dominican Republic

The Second Dominican Republic was a predecessor of the Dominican Republic and began with the restoration of the country in 1865 and culminated with the American intervention in 1916.

In the period of the Second Republic the political conflicts continued, now between the last government restored by Antonio Pimentel, who refused to rule from Santo Domingo, as it was commanded by the Congress, and José María Cabral who had to rule from Santo Domingo, answering to the lack of deputation of Pimentel. Cabral remained in power and adapted the constitution.

In the administration of Cabral, the parties of colours became the owners of the political stage, especially: the Reds and the Blues. The Red Party, the most powerful party, which ruled for six consecutive years, was led by Buenaventura Báez.

Afterwards there was a succession of governments until 1887, the beginning of the dictatorship of Lilís that lasted until 1899.

After the restoration of the Republic and as an effect of the local nature of the guerrilla struggle, the scarce urban development, the lack of land communications and the lack of a true national market, regional caudillismo or Caciquismo predominated in the Dominican social and political scene. This time the forces were polarized between the followers of Buenaventura Báez, who after the death of Pedro Santana represented the big haterps and a commercial bourgeoisie that was still essentially foreign and annexationist, constituting the conservative or Red Party. Their liberal rivals or Blue Party, who had their top leader Gregorio Luperón, with the support of the Cibao farmers, the commercial petty bourgeoisie, the young intellectuals and the new Creole bourgeoisie.

Since 1864, in this period in the economy at first the economy was booming due to the restoration of the sugar industry with Cuban immigrants who arrived and invested their resources. The indebtedness began, which consisted of the Hartmont loan, which included of a loan for the sum of 420,000 pounds of sterling, but only the government only received 38,000 pounds of sterling. In this period, the main parties were the blues of Gregorio Luperón, and the reds by Buenaventura Báez. In conclusion, the Báez government was characterized by being a corrupt government, debt, and political repression, despotism and annexations. Their governments were characterized by being very corrupt and by governing for the benefit of their fortune, the most notable act being the one committed in 1857 when they bought with inorganic currency the record harvest of tobacco, which was the country's main export product, and which later he sold, keeping the currency; The currency issued by the government was devalued by 1000%, causing the ruin of tobacco producers. The realization of the Harmont loan, led to the external debt of the country.

It was the annexation project of 1870 to the United States, and finally it strengthened its regime of terror with the clear objective of liquidating the opposition of the Blue Party. Finally, the war against Baecism led by the Blues culminated in the overthrow of Báez. Afterwards, the Dominican state was under the governments of the blues: This was concerned with the organization of both the army and education. It was also concerned with regulating relations with Haiti, proceeding to establish diplomatic ties. On July 23, 1880, there was a change of government, Fernando Arturo de Meriño became president with the full support of the blue party.

After the Báez government, several governments emerged until July 23, 1880, when the first father, Fernando Arturo de Meriño, came to power in the government, and there was a completely peaceful change. However, the Baesismos opposed him which led him to issue a decree known as the decree of San Fernando, which consisted of anyone found with soul in hand being punished with the penalty of death. After the Meriño government came the tyranny of Ulises Heureaux. This government was characterized by its ambition for power, which led it at the time of the elections to take fraudulent measures, which were to persecute its political opponents and take repression against its opponents, so much so. Since at the time of the elections the votes of the opponents did not appear, he promulgated a constitution in 1887 and another in 1896. In this period the period was increased to four years, but in this government positive things happened in this period. In 1892, the first telecommunications arrived in the country to communicate with the rest of the world in the field of electric lighting.