Buenaventura Baez (1812-1884) was five times president of the Dominican Republic and dominated his country's history for 3 decades.

Born of wealthy mulatto parents in Azua de Compostela, Buenaventura Baez was educated in Europe and returned to his homeland as one of the best-educated Dominicans of his day. He opposed continuation of Haitian rule over the eastern part of Hispaniola. By 1843, and after the ouster of the Haitian ruler Jean Pierre Boyer, this rule existed in name only. When the Dominican Republic declared independence, Baez became a member of the Dominican constitutional assembly and speaker of the first congress.

Baez was a compromise choice for president in 1849. At the end of his term in 1853, he handed over power to his legally chosen successor, Pedro Santana--one of the rare times in Dominican history when this happened. Thereafter, Santana and Baez became implacable enemies, and Baez was soon exiled and did...