As his country headed into last week's municipal elections, Dominican President Joaquin Balaguer kept conspicuously aloof. He made no campaign speeches and withheld endorsements, ordered other government leaders to do likewise. By seeking to confine the campaign to local issues and personalities, Balaguer hoped to avoid making the election a national plebiscite on his two-year government and thus avert partisan fireworks. Yet, in the end, the election still came down to a vote for or against Balaguer. A heavy turnout of 1,000,000 voters gave his Reformista party and other pro-Balaguer independents...
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