Editing Rafael Trujillo (section)

==Rise to power==
[[File:Capitán Rafael L. Trujillo en 1922 (cropped).jpg|thumb|left|150px|Trujillo in 1922]]
In 1916, the United States began its [[United States occupation of the Dominican Republic (1916–1924)|occupation of the Dominican Republic]] following 28 revolutions in 50 years.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Ayres|first1=Thomas|title=A Military Miscellany: From Bunker Hill to Baghdad: Important, Uncommon, and Sometimes Forgotten Facts, Lists, and Stories from America#s Military History|date=2008|publisher=Random House Publishing Group|isbn=978-0-307-48825-1|page=211}}</ref> At the time, Trujillo was 25 years old and worked as a ''guarda campestre'' (overseer) at a sugar cane plantation in [[Boca Chica]].{{sfnp|Roorda|1998|pp=21-22}} The occupying force soon established a Dominican army [[constabulary]] to impose order. Trujillo joined the newly created National Guard in 1918 with the help of his employer along with US Major James J. MacLean, a friend of his maternal uncle Teódulo Pina Chevalier. Trujillo was soon promoted to [[second lieutenant]] and began training with the [[US Marines]].<ref>{{cite encyclopedia |encyclopedia= The Oxford Encyclopedia of Latinos and Latinas in the United States |title= Trujillo, Rafael|publisher= Oxford University Press|isbn= 9780195156003 |url= http://www.oxfordreference.com/view/10.1093/acref/9780195156003.001.0001/acref-9780195156003-e-936?rskey=ofxhBX&result=856&q= |doi= 10.1093/acref/9780195156003.001.0001|year= 2005|editor1-last= Oboler|editor1-first= Suzanne|editor2-last= González|editor2-first= Deena J}}
</ref>{{sfnp|Roorda|1998|pp=21-22}}

Allegations of forgery were ignored when Trujillo applied and he was later acquitted by a panel of Marines following plausible accusations against him, including the alleged rape and subsequent extortion of a 16-year-old girl.{{sfnp|Roorda|1998|pp=21–22}} Colonel Richard Malcolm Cutts trained Trujillo further and many Marine leaders praised his abilities at the time, approving his rise among the ranks. he was promoted to lieutenant in 1919 and assigned to the [[San Pedro de Macorís]] garrison; he was later promoted to captain in 1922 while stationed in [[San Francisco de Macorís]] and given command of the National Guard 10th Company. In 1923 he was promoted to [[Major (rank)|major]] and appointed Inspector of the 1st [[military district]].{{sfnp|Roorda|1998|pp=21–22}}

President [[Horacio Vásquez]] named Trujillo the commander of the National Police in 1924, he was named [[brigadier general]] in 1928, Trujillo militarized the police, turning it into an army. It evolved into a ''de facto'' independent body under his control.{{sfnp|Roorda|1998|pp=21–22}} A ''[[1930 Dominican coup|coup d'état]]'' against President Vásquez broke out in February 1930 in Santiago.<ref name="Museo-Resistencia">{{cite web|title= Golpe de Estado a Horacio Vásquez| url= http://www.museodelaresistencia.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=244:golpe-de-estado-a-horacio-vasquez-&catid=65:1924-1930&Itemid=101| publisher= Museo Memorial de la Resistencia Dominicana|access-date= 8 June 2013|location= Santo Domingo|language= es|year= 2010 |archive-date= 28 November 2020|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20201128215644/http://www.museodelaresistencia.com/?option=com_content&view=article&id=244:golpe-de-estado-a-horacio-vasquez-&catid=65:1924-1930&Itemid=101|url-status= dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite news| last= Torres |first=José Antonio |title= Golpe de Estado a Horacio |url= http://www.elnacional.com.do/semana/2010/2/20/40448/aaaa |access-date=8 June 2013 |newspaper= [[El Nacional (Santo Domingo)|El Nacional]] |date= 20 February 2010 |language=es |url-status=dead |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20130927012456/http://www.elnacional.com.do/semana/2010/2/20/40448/aaaa |archive-date=27 September 2013 }}</ref> Trujillo secretly cut a deal with the rebel leader [[Rafael Estrella Ureña]]. In return for Trujillo letting Estrella take power, Estrella would allow Trujillo to run for president in [[1930 Dominican Republic general election|new elections]]. 

As the rebels marched toward Santo Domingo, Vásquez ordered Trujillo to suppress them. However, feigning "neutrality, Trujillo kept his men in barracks, allowing Estrella's rebels to take the capital virtually unopposed. On 3 March, Estrella was proclaimed acting president, with Trujillo confirmed as head of the police and of the army. As per their agreement, Trujillo became the presidential nominee of the Patriotic Coalition of Citizens (Spanish: ''Coalición patriotica de los ciudadanos''), with Estrella as his running mate.<ref>{{harvp|de Galindez|1962|p=44}}</ref>

[[File:Toma de posesión de Rafael L. Trujillo en 1930.jpg|thumb|Trujillo (center) and [[Rafael Estrella Ureña]] (left) being sworn in as president and vice president, 16 August 1930.]]

The other candidates became targets of harassment by the army. When it became apparent that the army would allow only Trujillo to campaign unhindered, the other candidates pulled out. Ultimately, the Trujillo-Estrella ticket was proclaimed victorious with an implausible 99% of the vote.<ref name= Galindez-62p51>{{harvp|de Galindez|1962|p=51}}. Official results: 223,731 vs. 1,883</ref> In a note to the US State Department, American ambassador Charles Boyd Curtis wrote that Trujillo received far more votes than there were actual voters.<ref name= Galindez-62p51n2>{{harvp|de Galindez|1962|p=51}}, note 2</ref> Upon taking office on 16 August, Truijllo assumed dictatorial powers which he retained for the next three decades.