Sunday, January 28, 2007 11:34 PM

 Dominican Times Magazine,
 162nd Santo Domingo Independence Celebration
 At Club Show,NY NY
 Feb 27th 2006

In 1492 Christopher Columbus discovers the islands that he names Hispaniola. The islands is inhabited by the Arawaks and the Caribe Indians. He claims Hispaniola as a Spanish colony and conquers the whole island. In 1697 Spain recognizes the French claim to western Hispaniola and the island is divided into French Saint-Domingue and Spanish Santo Domingo. In 1795 Spain has to cede Santo Domingo to France, although a Spanish administration continues until 1801 and Santo Domingo is reverted to Spain in 1808. From 1809 on separatist claim the independence of Santo Domingo. They control the island until 1814 but Spanish rule is restored in 1814.

In 1821 Santo Domingo regains independence as the Independent State of the Spanish Part of Haiti in Colombia, but in 1822 it is incorporated into Haiti. In 1844 Santo Domingo, lead by Juan Pablo Duarte, secedes from Haiti as the Dominican Republic. Through the 19th century the republic was ruled by a series of strongmen. The Dominicans voluntarily return to Spain, but the independence of the republic is restored in 1865. The Dominican Republic is not a stable state, and there are many rebellions. A rebellion in 1899 brings the liberal Juan Isidro Jimenes Pereyra until 1902 to the presidency. After 1902 there are provisional governments, and the conservative elected president Carlos Felipe Morales Languasco flees the country in 1905. Acting for him the conservative Ramón Cáceres Vásquez becomes president until 1911. Between 1911 and 1914 the republic has four presidents. In 1914 the liberals gain the presidency with Jimenes for the second time.
The political instability lead to an American occupation and military government between 1916 and 1924. After the occupation the Dominican Republic becomes a presidential democracy. The leader of the conservatives Horacio Vásquez Lajara, now representing the Partido Nacional Progressista (National Progressive Party, PNG), is president for the third time between 1924 and 1930.
This democratic intermezzo ends in 1930 when Rafael Trujillo as a dictator establishes absolute political control. He - and his Partido Dominicano (Dominican Party, PD) - rules for 31 years, but in 1961 he is assasinated. At that time Joaquín Antonio Balaguer Ricardo of the Movimiento Popular Dominicano (Dominican Popular Movement, MPD) is the formal president. In 1962 the democracy is restored and Juan Bosch Gaviño of the social-democratic Partido Revolucionario Democratico (Revolutionary Democratic Party, PRD) is elected president, but after nine months the army seizes power. A period of chaos starts, resulting in a renewed American occupation in 1965 after a second coup. The United States forces subsequently establish order.
From that time the republic is formally a presidential democracy, but until 1978 the opposition doesn't have fair chances at elections. Balaguer, who formed the Partido Reformista (Reformist Party, PR), is president again between 1966 and 1978. In 1978 the candidate of the PRD, Antonio Guzman, is elected president. He is succeeded in 1982 by his co-partisan Salvador Jorge Blanco. Balaguer returns the presidency after the elections of 1986, confirmed in 1990. The elections of 1994 are marred by charges of fraud. As a compromise Balaguer assumes office for an abbreviated term. In 1996 Leonel Fernandez Reyna of the Partido de la Liberación Dominicana (Dominican Liberation Party, PLD) is elected president. He is succeeded in 2000 by Hipólito Mejía Domínguez of the PRD. The PRD is defeted in the 2004 elections, bringing the PLD with Leonel Antonio Fernández Reyna to power.
The Following people were honored: Feliberto Estevez,Head Chef of Gracie Mansion,Sergant Felipe Gomez,of NYPD,Patsi Arias, Anchor for Telemundo 47 news,Birmania Rios,Anchor for Univision 41 news,Carlos Sierra,Cuny Student Senate Leader and Iris Silverio,Writer actress and producer.
Mayor Bloomberg, NYC,Commissioner of Immigration,Guillermo Linares,Congressman Charles Rangel and many more dignitaries from the Dominican communities were in attendance,the event was organized by  the Publisher and Staff of The Dominican Times Magazine, Publisher Juan Guillen.for more information about The Dominican Times Magazine feel free to view their website at www.dominicantimes.com

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