150. Editorial Note
During the Johnson Presidency, the U.S. foreign affairs leadership reviewed and approved a covert program to help the candidate favored by the United States Government win the 1966 Dominican Republic presidential election. Having intervened militarily in April 1965 officially to “protect American lives” and unofficially to prevent a “second Cuba” in the hemisphere, the Johnson administration approved a program in 1966 to provide covert financial support and electoral information to Joaquin Balaguer of the Partido Reformista, a moderate, pro-American party. The objective was to ensure a political climate conducive to democratic principles and simultaneously to discourage a potential Communist take-over. The 303 Committee provided interagency coordination for the covert action. Substantial financial support was passed to Balaguer without him knowing the true source of the funds. Fearful of possible widespread criticism that its pro–Balaguer bias might be rigging the election, the Johnson administration encouraged Juan Bosch, Balaguerʼs principal opponent to run and even [Page 358] considered giving Bosch covert financial support although on a much smaller scale than what was authorized for Balaguer. For the United States, the operation was hugely successful—Balaguer won by a decisive margin and most observers attested that the election was conducted fairly, with the voting process unmarred by violence and fraud.