Even a guided revolution is hard to control once it begins to roll. A week after the U.S. stationed warships outside the Dominican Republic's three-mile limit to help finish the dynasty of slain Dictator Rafael Leonidas Trujillo,* it found itself caught in a power struggle. On one side was the middle-roading, anti-Trujillo National Civic Union (U.C.N.), backed by an aroused civilian populace that went on strike to support it. On the other was Trujillo's powerful armed forces, under General Pedro Rodriguez Echaverria.
One night last week, Dr. Viriato Fiallo, the widely respected, 66-year-old general practitioner who heads the U.C.N., called, along with an aide, on Trujillo's leftover puppet, President Joaquin Balaguer. Politely but firmly, the visitors told the little (5 ft. 6 in.) bachelor that although they admired his firm resistance to the comeback plans of two Trujillo brothers ("the wicked uncles") a fortnight ago, Balaguer and the holdover cronies who surrounded him nonetheless represent "Trujilloism without Trujillo," and must go.
Balaguer pointed out that if he quit, his legal successor is supposed to be the armed forces secretary. They had thought of that: Balaguer need only name Fiallo to that post, resign, and permit Fiallo to succeed him. Fiallo would then reappoint as armed forces chief the man who now occupies the job: General Rodriguez Echaverria, whose support of Balaguer gave him the muscle to oust the Trujillos. Balaguer, still backed by Rodriguez Echaverria, refused. "We have had enough!" exploded Fiallo, and out over Santo Domingo's Radio Tropical went a U.C.N. call for a general strike.
"Boo Boo Balaguer!" The Caribbean republic was almost paralyzed. Steel shutters banged shut on shops; trees were felled across streets to block public transport. Mobs roamed the hot, narrow sidewalks and streets of Santo Domingo (formerly Ciudad Trujillo), taunting cops and soldiers—who responded with tear gas and noise grenades—with the cry: "Boo Boo Balaguer!"
At week's end, President Balaguer, after a palace conference with Armed Forces Secretary Rodriguez Echaverria, announced his own "conciliation" plan—which sounded more like an ultimatum: Balaguer would head up a seven-member junta that would include Rodriguez Echaverria and grant a virtual autonomy to the military, e.g., no military man would be punished for actions committed under Trujillo. Presumably this was his asking price. The opposition U.C.N. could only resume its strike in the streets, hopeful that the rioting would not get out of hand. Looking on, the U.S. was concerned that too sudden an overturn of armed authority might open the gates to Castroism—but also hoped that the nation's long suppressed wish for democratic freedom would be recognized. It was prodding both sides to settle.
*Whose body was found last week aboard the family yacht Angelita, along with $4,562,837 in U.S. currency and Dominican pesos. Airfreighted to Paris, the body was taken for burial to Pére-Lachaise Cemetery, resting place of Abélard and Héloïse, Chopin and Balzac.