203. Memorandum Prepared for the 303 Committee1

SUBJECT

  • Dominican Republic Student Election

REFERENCE

  • 303 Committee Paper Dated 17 March 1967 Entitled Support for a Moderate Social Christian Student Group in the Autonomous University of Santo Domingo (UASD)2 and Approved on 5 May 19673
1.

The activities which had been contemplated in the referenced 303 Committee Paper approved on 5 May 1967 were not carried out for the following reasons.

Following the approval of the operation, the political atmosphere at the Autonomous University of Santo Domingo (UASD) deteriorated to such an extent that it was believed that a confrontation between FRAGUA (the Communist-supported student group) and BRUC would lead to bloodshed. Rather than risk this confrontation, BRUC decided to boycott the elections. In calling for a boycott of the student elections, BRUC hoped to limit student participation to such a degree that it could later have the elections cancelled. Another factor which BRUC considered in making its decision to boycott the elections was the fact that the Student Council, controlled by FRAGUA, had set the elections for 23 May 1967, thereby not allowing BRUC sufficient time for campaigning prior to the elections. Given the above situation and BRUCʼs assessment that without an extensive campaign it could not hope to win the elections, the need for an operation to support BRUC in the elections no longer existed.

2.
Prior to BRUCʼs withdrawal from the student elections, Ambassador Crimmins [1 line of source text not declassified] determined that supporting BRUC in the existing politically charged atmosphere in the university would only lead to an upsurge of violence on the university campus. In addition, with the elections scheduled for 23 May there was not sufficient time for organizing and carrying out an effective campaign to ensure BRUCʼs victory at the polls.
3.
On 19 May 1967, Ambassador Crimmins, after taking all of the above factors into consideration, cancelled the operation.
4.
Student elections were held on 23 May 1967 as scheduled. The elections were held amid a flurry of Communist propaganda including the use of Soviet flags which were flown higher than the Dominican flag on the campus. FRAGUA won easily since it was not opposed by the only other major student organization, BRUC. Only 20 per cent (1,421) of the student body participated in the elections. Of those, 1,118 voted for FRAGUA, 230 for FUSD (the PRD student group), and 73 for the Communist Youth group. Even with the abstention of BRUC, the elections were wrought with violence which erupted between the Communist Youth and FRAGUA. These events appeared to confirm BRUCʼs estimate that had it participated in the elections the UASD would have seen one of its bloodiest student elections.
  1. Source: National Security Council, Special Group/303 Committee Files, Subject Files, Dominican Republic 1967. Secret; Eyes Only.
  2. Document 190.
  3. See footnote 2, Document 200.