During the Trujillo tyranny (1930-1961), the names of the dictator, his relatives and associates were placed and repeated in a series of streets and other public works.
These denominations were justified on the grounds that society claimed them for the contributions that these people had made to the people and in recognition of President Trujillo.
But shortly after his execution on May 30, 1961, the incumbent president, legislators and municipalities began to change those particular names assigned to provinces, cities, roads, squares, parks, buildings … Among the reasons cited was that They no longer represented the moment that was lived in the Dominican Republic, but in other cases, it was the will of the relatives of the late president.
Thus, the Presidente Trujillo park, in San Cristóbal, was renamed Plaza de la Constitución; Generalísimo Trujillo Avenue, in Santiago, was renamed March 30; and other places, some of which are detailed below.
When Trujillo came to power, the capital city of the Dominican Republic was called Santo Domingo. In Law 1067, promulgated on January 11, 1936, it is indicated that the city, ravaged by a cyclone on September 3, 1930, was rebuilt by the dictator, “raising it modernized and beautiful from its rubble.”
This “magnificent work of the Benefactor of the Fatherland” -according to the Considerations of the law- moved the national conscience “to pay him the glorious reward of giving his name to the city of Santo Domingo.” Thus, since 1936 the Dominican capital was called Ciudad Trujillo.
This changed when on November 23, 1961, the then president Joaquín Balaguer promulgated Law 5674, repealing Law 1067, to return its name to Santo Domingo.
If the name had not been changed with Law 5678 of November 25, 1961, the San Juan province would continue to be called Benefactor, and Dajabón would be called Liberator.
Also, Los Almácigos, in Santiago Rodríguez, would be Villa Generalísimo; and El Valle, in the Sabana de la Mar municipality, would be Villa Trujillo.
What is known today as San Cristóbal province, was previously called Trujillo; Peravia’s name was José Trujillo Valdez (father of the dictator); and María Trinidad Sánchez was known as Julia Molina (mother of the tyrant).
The Jaragua municipality, in the Bahoruco province, was also called José Trujillo Valdez; and the Los Cacaos municipal district of Samaná was called Villa Ramfis (son of the dictator).
The name changes were promulgated on November 29, 1961, by then-President Joaquín Balaguer, through Law 5685.
In 1936, the dictator consecrated “the highest peak of the mountain ‘La Pelona’ with the name of Pico Trujillo”.
According to the Recitals of the law that gave it its name, “the highest peak of the Queen of the Antillean Mountains” should be consecrated “with a glorious name that is a synthesis of greatness and love for the Dominican people.” And the name of Trujillo was “engraved in the hearts of his fellow citizens with firm characters of love and gratitude” and had to be “exalted to the highest peaks of exelitude.”
Thus, the elevation of 3,175 meters in the Central Mountain Range, considered the highest in the Antilles and visited annually by hiking enthusiasts, was renamed Pico Trujillo with Law 1164 of September 21, 1936.
The name only lasted 24 years, since, in 1960, after sectors motivated the then president Balaguer to modify it, the name was changed to Pico Duarte, bearing the surname of the father of the country Juan Pablo Duarte.
Colloquially they call it the “Monument of Santiago”. In the beginning, the famous building of the second most important city in the country was built to commemorate “the peace of Trujillo” and was thus called: Monument to the Peace of Trujillo.
But in December 1961, lawmakers argued that the structure no longer had a reason to call itself that, from the moment Trujillo was executed in May. But that, due to its architectural value and majesty, it should be converted into a historical monument that would pay tribute “to the immortal Heroes of the National Restoration.”
Thus, through Law 5724 of December 29, 1961, the iconic building was converted into a monument to the Heroes of the Restoration.
When the very crowded, currently Dr. Luis E. Aybar hospital was being built in 1945, the then president Manuel de Jesús Troncoso (considered a puppet ruler of Trujillo) approved by law that the new hospital for workers, located in the capital, be called Doctor William A. Morgan.
Dr. Morgan was an American ENT surgeon who treated Trujillo.
Although on December 15, 1961 the name of the hospital was changed by law to that of the renowned Dominican doctor Luis E. Aybar, there are still people who identify the health center as the old Morgan.
In another order, with Law 1080 of 1946, the then newly built Samaná hospital began to be called after the former first lady María de los Ángeles Martínez de Trujillo. This is because “all classes” of the northeast city, expressed their desire for it to be so, according to the law.
It was on December 26, 1961, when then-President Balaguer promulgated Law 5723, which changed the name of the provincial hospital to Dr. Leopoldo Pou, an identification that remains to this day.
In that month, names of other hospitals were also changed. The José Trujillo Valdez hospital, in Villa Altagracia, was renamed Nuestra Señora de la Altagracia, and the Padre de la Patria Nueva health center, in Monte Llano, changed to General Gregorio Luperón.
Also, the Plinio B. Pina Chevalier Hospital (Trujillo’s maternal uncle), in Bonao, was renamed Monsignor Nouel; the Sebastiana Alba viuda Martínez (mother-in-law of the dictator) health center, in San Cristóbal, was renamed General Antonio Duvergé; and the so-called Benefactor, in Sabana Grande Boyá, was named Archbishop Meriño.
In December 1961, the names of several countries with which the Dominican Republic had relations were restored to schools.
In accordance with a resolution of the then Secretary of State for Education and Fine Arts, in Santiago, the Generalissimo Trujillo school was renamed Bolivia and Julia Molina changed to Uruguay.
In Santo Domingo, the Angelita school (daughter of Trujillo) changed to Colombia, and the Trujillo-Hull educational center (name of a treaty signed with the United States for the payment of the foreign debt) moved to Costa Rica. Also, the President Trujillo School of Education was designated Juan Pablo Duarte.
In Baní, the José Trujillo Valdez school was renamed Canada.
On January 7, 1962, Balaguer decreed that, in Santiago, the “Ramfis” School Home for Orphans and Homeless would have the name of Trujillo’s son removed, and the “Radhamés” Nursery School would remove the name of the other son of the dictator.
Also, that, in Santo Domingo, the “Ramfis” Nursery School would be renamed “San Vicente de Paúl” Nursery School, and the “Ramfis Rafael” Nursery for Babies would be changed to the “Niño Jesús” Nursery.
Other measures taken by the authorities in the months following Trujillo’s death were aimed at suppressing a series of awards established by the dictator and removing statues, busts, and commemorative plaques.
Also, the withdrawal from national circulation of the RD $ 20 bills that had the dictator’s effigy printed on them was also approved.
Source-www.diariolibre.com