Horacio Vásquez
Horacio Vásquez Lajara (* 1855 or 1860 in Moca, † 1936) was a Dominican politician and three-time president of the Dominican Republic.
Biography
Presidencies in 1899 and 1902 to 1903
Vásquez graduated from military training, in which he rose to become a general. It was the first time on 1 September 1899 as the successor of Juan Wanceslao Figuereo president of the Dominican Republic. However, he handed over this office two and a half months later, on November 19, 1899 Juan Isidro Jiménez. Under Jiménez, he was Vice President.
This he then followed on 2 May 1902 one of his cousin Ramón Cáceres, who had already shot dictator Ulises Heureaux guided coup and was until 23 March 1903 the second time President. On 27 April 1903 he went into exile in Cuba. The Republic was split by the coup into two hostile camps: Horacista and Jiminista. This allowed the old Heureaux supporters in 1903 after a bloody battle General Alejandro Woss y Gil to establish themselves as rulers. Shortly thereafter, in October 1903, succeeded the Jiminista to put Carlos Felipe Morales by a coup in the presidential chair. Then Vásquez said as the opposition leader was staying in the country members of the U.S. Bureau of Navigation to to leave the United States of America has a coal station in the Bay of Samaná, as soon as he and the Horacista had won power.
In 1912 he was chairman of a revolutionary movement against President Eladio Victoria and the only 27 - year war minister Alfredo Victoria, the nephew of the President.
Presidency 1924-1930
After the end of the U.S. occupation from 1916 to 1924 he was on 12 June 1924 as the successor of Juan Bautista Vicini Burgos for the third time president and held that post this time almost six years until 2 March 1930. In the election he won against Francisco Peynado by a large majority. At the same time his Alliance Party ( Partido Alianza ) was able to achieve ( Camara de Deputies ), each wide majorities in both chambers of the National Congress, the Senate ( Senado ) and the Chamber of Deputies.
First he sat in substantially continuous begun by the U.S. programs, but soon began also with its own government projects, with a large value was placed on respect for civil liberties. He was the first President of the Republic, on the one hand maintained public order, but on the other hand, ignored the fundamental rights. This was especially in the context of military occupation by the United States Army with their censorship, military courts, street patrols, violence and torture of suspects who entered against the occupying power.
Economically began an expansion of agricultural land to increase food production, which mainly consisted of rice, corn, kidney beans, onions, garlic and meat, while the country has so far been predominantly forested. Early in his presidency, he needed funds for the start-up of these projects. For this reason, he was induced to requested a loan of 25 million U.S. dollars from the U.S. to achieve fiscal consolidation and reduce power absorbed by the previous governments debt. In the first two years of government construction projects, therefore, was slow, because of internal budgetary issues and customs duties. There was, however, in 1924 negotiations between the Dominican and the U.S. governments, which led to a slight improvement in 1907 made borrowing. However, the U.S. retained a part of the customs revenue. However, the concluded contracts tied for 18 years, the financial system of the Dominican Republic back in the long term to the former occupying power. This contract was therefore attacked massively by the Progressive Party ( Partido Progresista ), chaired by the incumbent Vice President Federico Velásquez. Against all opposition criticism it came to the conclusion of this contract with the United States on December 27, 1924, to the final ratification of the end of April 1925. Upon approval by the National Congress ( Congreso Nacional) in 1926 there was a further bond, with the construction of the aqueduct of Santo Domingo was made possible. Thus began the reorganization of the capital, which began under the U.S. occupation in part.
1929, there was a significant loss of power for government Vásquez, who was due to numerous attacks of his opponents. The cause of the protests were in the dissatisfaction of participation in government decisions. The campaign for the presidential election was dominated by the rivalry between Vásquez and the opposition candidate José Dolores Alfonseca and Rafael Leonidas Trujillo Molina. Despite these problems, the government continued the public works programs as well as the colonization and agricultural development. However, due to the existing loans because of the money, there were also allegations of corruption against the government and to cleavage of the press and daily newspapers in loyal to the government and regierungsgegnerische stock. While the newspaper " Diario Listín " defended the government's actions, there was particular in the appearing in Santiago de los Caballeros newspapers " La Opinión " and "La Información " anti-government articles. The election campaign and the division of the National Party ( Partido Nacional) led to a weakening of the government, as the National Party as well as the Progressive Party held influential under Vice President Velásquez government offices. In addition to that Vásquez fell ill during the campaign and had to undergo surgery in Baltimore, Johns Hopkins Hospital, which led to the removal of a kidney.
When Vásquez returned after the operation, General Trujillo Molina had a great impact. This he founded next to his support to national police and army on his property, of which it was said that he had this illegally acquired by robbery. Finally, on 18 February 1930 was a coup d'etat in which Trujillo President Vásquez asks to resign, to explain this on March 2, 1930 and held its first Rafael Estrella Ureña began as president, before he finally himself on August 18, 1930 the office of the president took over.