Dominican Republic and Haiti: Country Studies

Dominican Republic: Historical Setting
achieved some financial stability for the country; political conditions
had settled down to the point where Heureaux needed
to suppress only one major uprising during his two-year tenure.
By 1884, however, no single successor enjoyed widespread support
among the various caciques who constituted the republic's
ruling group. Luperon, still the leader of the ruling Blue Party,
supported General Segundo Imbert for the post, while Heureaux
backed the candidacy of General Francisco Gregorio
Billini. A consummate dissembler, Heureaux assured Luperon
that he would support Imbert should he win the election, but
Heureaux also had ballot boxes in critical precincts stuffed in
order to assure Billini's election.
Inaugurated president on September 1, 1884, Billini resisted
Heureaux's efforts to manipulate him. Thus denied de facto
rule, Heureaux undermined Billini by spreading rumors to the
effect that the president had decreed a political amnesty so
that he could conspire with ex-president Cesareo Guillermo
Bastardo (February 27-December 6, 1879) against Luperon's
leadership of the Blues. These rumors precipitated a governmental
crisis that resulted in Billini's resignation on May 16,
1885. Vice President Alejandro Woss y Gil succeeded Billini.
Heureaux assumed a more prominent role under the new government.
A number of his adherents were included in the cabinet,
and the general himself assumed command of the national
army in order to stem a rebellion led by Guillermo. The latter's
death removed another potential rival for power and further
endeared Heureaux to Luperon, a longtime enemy of Guillermo.
Luperon accordingly supported Heureaux in the 1886 presidential
elections. Opposed by Casimiro de Moya, Heureaux
relied on his considerable popularity and his demonstrated
skill at electoral manipulation to carry the balloting. The blatancy
of the fraud in some areas, particularly the capital,
inspired Moya's followers to launch an armed rebellion. Heureaux
again benefited from Luperon's support in this struggle,
which delayed his inauguration by four months but further
narrowed the field of political contenders. Having again
achieved power, Heureaux maintained his grip on it for the
rest of his life.
Several moves served to lay the groundwork for Heureaux's
dictatorship. Constitutional amendments requested by the
president and effected by the Congress extended the presidential
term from two to four years and eliminated direct elections
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