Then There Were None

In the three years since Dictator Rafael Leonidas Trujillo was assassinated, the Dominican Republic has been governed by one interim President (forced to resign), one seven-man provisional Council (which held elections), one constitutional President (toppled by military coup), and one civilian triumvirate of which not a single original member remains. The last of the three men who took over administration of the unhappy little Caribbean nation ten months ago resigned last week. He was Manuel Tavares Espaillat, 40, a cultured, U.S.-educated (Yale) scholar and the only real administrator and planner in the original triumvirate. He quit because he was disgusted with the endless bickering and backbiting that keeps the country from making any real recovery after more than 30 years of dictatorship.

"Politics," said Tavares, "seeps into everything that is done in the Dominican Republic today, so that even if one is interested in the administrative and economic side of government, one can't avoid it. And I just wasn't cut out for politics." While in office, Tavares helped get an international economic mission in the Dominican Republic, restored the ailing sugar industry to private enterprise (under Trujillo, it was almost a personal monopoly), created an industrial-incentive program with lower taxes to encourage foreign investment, and promoted a student-credit institute to help his countrymen get an education. But at every turn, he found himself hampered by squabbling generals and politicians.

Tavares' resignation leaves Donald Reid Cabral, 41, who joined the triumvirate last December, as the man completely in charge. A shrewd, tough-minded onetime auto dealer, Reid is trying to lead the country into new elections by mid-1965. Six political parties have ratified a plan for two elections--for the Constituent Assembly and the presidency. But deposed President Juan Bosch's supporters and two other parties are withholding their support. Bosch followers are demanding full political freedom for their exiled leader; the other holdouts want more guarantees that a free election will be held. Not until the three parties agree to the plan will it go into effect.

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