CEFA Operation Power Pack
CEFA and OPP begin with the US Military invasion in 1965 at the Dominican Republican. The event end in 1966 and after a period political instabilities occurred which lead to the assassin of Rafael Trujillo. It wasn’t until later that Juan Bosch founded the “anti-Trujilloist, the Dominican Revolutionary Party. In December 1962, he was elected as president.
Bosch had a “left-leaning” policy, which included nationalization and land redistribution of foreign holdings specified by his policy. It also contained leanings that led to the military coup in 7 long months by a “right-wing faction” of military which was led by Gen. Elias Wessin. General Wessin, controlled the CEFA or Centro de Entrenamiento de las Fuerzas Armadas otherwise called Armed Forces Training Center. His control was backed by elite groups of over 2000 well trained infantry soldiers. At the San Isidro Air Base, stationed men did not have the common army units, but still there were recoilless rifles, tanks, and other artillery, including an attack aircraft.
At first established by Ramfis Trujillo was the quasi-independent association, which Trujillo was the son of the former ruler who formed means to defend the government as well as keep them watched over by the air force, navy, and National Guard. Wessin called Castroite, Marxist-Leninist, and Communist doctrines, “outlaws.” It was later that the power was handed over to Civilian Triumvirate, which the new leaders instantly began to abolish the constitution, and declared it a “nonexistent” entity.
A few years later, conflicts and strikes developed and during April of 1965, some officers enlisted in the Armed Forces and led by Colonel Francisco rose against the Roman committee of rulers, or triumvirate. Action begins to excel once General Marcos Rivera, “Chief of Staff of the Dominican Armed Forces,” attempted to arrest four of the conspirator army men. Instead, he was incarcerated. The rebel Bosch was commonly referred as the Constitutionalist. He was recognized by this title for his focus on restoring constitutional elected president TV and radio stations back to Capital. Bosch was demanded to return by Santo Domingo. One of the constitutional leaders was Francisco. The provisional president was later installed by Rafael Molina Ureña. Following, the constitutionalists clashed with some security agents from the inside and some CEFA right-wing military rudiments.
This caused the Constitutionalists to hand out firearms to men who had no supervision or control. It results in the creation of unruly gangs commonly known as the “Los-Tigueres.” The mistakes lead to random violence.
This lead to both sides being forcefully armed and many of the civilians got caught up in the gunfire from different directions. Those who wanted to leave the Dominican Republic had promising hope when Washington joined to take immediate action to evacuate the area, which brought in the CEFA.
Despites Washington’s effort to take action and use the CEFA, initially the United States Military was limited to evaluation from Santo Domingo. Santo Domingo was a landing zone established by Hotel Embajador in the central part of Santo Domingo.
