Waging Peace:  Dominican Republic

Monitoring Elections

The Carter Center, in conjunction with the National Democratic Institute, has monitored numerous elections in the Dominican Republic. The Americas Program's Council of Presidents and Prime Ministers of the Americas observed the election of President Joaquin Balaguer in 1990, a presidential election runoff in 1996, and a free and much-improved election in May 2000.

May 2000 Elections
A joint NDI/Carter Center delegation praised the May 2000 elections after Dominicans went to the polls in numbers rarely matched by other nations in the Western Hemisphere. The observers said the administration of the elections was enhanced by a new, modernized registry and by verification of the registry prior to the election. The delegation noted that partisan selection of the supreme election authorities by the Senate led to citizen allegations of partisanship throughout the process. In addition, on election day, the delegation observed that some voters were unable to vote, abandoned their effort to vote, or could not travel to newly assigned polling sites and that others left without voting due to a long voting process in cramped sites. Read full text >

Election Reports

View Carter Center election reports for the Dominican Republic >

Urging a Moratorium on Arms Sales

Although Latin America spends relatively less on defense than most other regions, expenditures on expensive weapons systems divert scarce foreign exchange from more effective investments, including education. They also compel neighbors to spend more on defense and, by doing so, generate international tensions. Concerned about an arms race in Latin America, the Carter Center's Council of Presidents and Prime Ministers of the Americas urged governments in the region to pause before embarking on major arms purchases. Between April 1997 and March 1998, 28 current heads of government and 14 former heads of government signed a written pledge to accept a moratorium of two years on purchasing sophisticated weapons. Among the signatories was Dominican Republic President Leonel Fernández.