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What was life like for people under the reign of Rafael Trujillo in the Dominican Republic?

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Rafael Trujillo was a military dictator who ruled the Dominican Republic from 1930 until his assassination in 1961. Under his regime, life for many Dominicans was characterized by oppression, violence, and fear.

Trujillo was notorious for his brutal methods of maintaining power. He created a cult of personality around himself, portraying himself as a benevolent father figure to the Dominican people. However, behind this façade, he employed secret police and military forces to suppress dissent and maintain his grip on power. Torture, imprisonment, and extrajudicial killings were common, and many Dominicans lived in constant fear of being targeted by Trujillo's regime.

The regime also targeted specific groups for persecution, including political dissidents, journalists, intellectuals, and members of the Haitian minority living in the Dominican Republic. Trujillo pursued a policy of ethnic cleansing against the Haitian population, forcibly deporting tens of thousands of Haitians and Haitian-Dominicans from the country.

Trujillo's regime also pursued policies of economic exploitation, with many Dominicans forced to work in virtual slavery on Trujillo's plantations and other businesses. Corruption was rampant, and many Dominicans struggled to make ends meet.

In short, life for many Dominicans under the reign of Rafael Trujillo was characterized by oppression, violence, and fear. His regime employed brutal tactics to maintain power, targeted specific groups for persecution, and pursued policies of economic exploitation. The legacy of his regime continues to impact the Dominican Republic to this day.

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