The Mirabal Sisters In The Dominican Republic

Food in daily life for a Cuban is rather simple. My friend Vanessa Gutierrez, who is Cuban helps to explain the normal cultural lifestyle. Vanessa Gutierrez was born in the United States, but her parents are from Cuba, specifically from Santa Clara. The normal daily diet in Cuba is rather simple. It consists of rice and beans, also known as moros y cristianos.

Wright continues the telling of this historical event, under the topic of Fidelismo and the radicalization of Latin American politics. The combination of Castro’s actions and Che Guevara’s calls for revolution in the western hemisphere had a direct and profound effect on Latin American politics. This powerful force came to be known as Fidelismo and broken down to its core “it was simply the attitude that revolution should be pursued immediately” (Wright p. 39). On of the most noticeable symptoms of Fidelismo was an intense growth of demands for change. Wright notes that during this time, the intensity of political activities in many other Latin American countries increased, especially after Castro’s victory.

Minerva also explicitly states to Mate that “we Mirabals [have] to set a good example” (236). This further shows that Minerva is setting an example for her sisters and her fellow citizens quite like how the roman goddess Minerva also sets an example for her family and her patron cities. For example when Minerva refuses to give her crucifix to the guards and the guards forcibly take her out to solitary confinement, “a voice from one of the cells they passed called out, Mariposa does not belong to herself alone. She belongs to Quisqueya! Then everyone was beating on the bars, calling out Viva la Mariposa” (238).

Since she was very religious she didn’t join the movement but she let them have the movement at her house and she was supposed to go to jail too but she didn’t because the SIM didn’t see her. When Minerva and Maria were in jail they had to separate because Minerva was being her old self and was still going against Trujillo’s word, and they stayed in there for 7 months, they were not eating like they used to they were just treating the women

Trujillo established absolute political control and severe violations of human rights, like Lilies at the time was concerned with the economic development of the close and benefited, Trujillo used his political party, the Dominican Party, a seal of their decisions. But the real power was in the National Guard, the largest institution, better armed, and more centrally controlled than any military force in the history of the nation in the National Guard becoming a virtual monopoly on power. Trujillo's regime worried about expanding the National Guard as one of the largest military forces in Latin America, by 1940, the Dominican military spending was 21% of the national budget. All citizens were signed to identification cards and passes good behavior of the secret police.

In the Dominican Republic, women were expected to go by what their husbands and fathers said. Women portrayed to have less power and authority than men. In “In the Time of the Butterflies”, the Mirabal sisters showed something very differently, instead they demonstrated the equal authority they have with their husbands. Their power challenged gender limitations that were forced on them by their patriarchal Dominican culture. Minerva, Patria, and Maria Teresa all were sisters who became involved in political movements against President Trujillo.

Rafael Leónidas Trujillo Molina, nicknamed El Jefe, ruled the Dominican Republic for 31 years. He organized secret police mento torture, and murder people who stood against him. Trujillo directed all crucial industries, and financial organizations. He murdered roughly 10,000 Haitian people.

Once she decides to join the revolution, she is fearless in her efforts to end Trujillo’s regime, regardless of her personal outcome. Minerva fought until the day she died, and with her death, a better future for her country was

For many Dominicans they did not do much to go against their country. There were many things that fit the typical Dominican way of life, like how men held all power and were not challenged by women (Vega 1). People were used to having men in high powered positions and there were not many occasions where women wanted to hold that same power. Many women missed opportunities because they lacked an education. Normally men got a better education than women did so they were more qualified for these higher positions.

Because of their busy schedules, it was hard for them to spend a lot of time with their children and family, allowing them to become more distant with them, and eventually having them live with their aunt Dede’s house after they died. At first, when Minerva would have her son, Manolito, stay at her sister Patria’s house, Patria wouldn’t understand how she could leave her own child away from her for such a long time. She was going to ask why she was doing such a thing but then “[she] saw it did hurt her to make this sacrifice she was convinced she needed to make.” At first, Patria wonders why Minerva had to travel around for her activities if it meant having to distance herself from her son. She later realizes that Minerva doesn’t care, since participating in the revolution is what she believes in, and would affect the greater good.

In the period quickly following the death of General Rafael Trujillo, known as "El Jefe," the Dominican Republic was in shambles. The country was under the control of a three-man junta which, with the assistance of the United States, was getting ready for presidential races. In 1963, Juan Emilio Bosch Gaviño was chosen President of the Dominican Republic; that same year, just a couple of months after his initiation, he was removed from the administration by the Dominican military that later settled another three-mean junta in Bosch's place. In 1965, Francisco Alberto Caamaño Deñó drove what was known as the Caamaño Revolt, the opening salvo in the Dominican Civil War.

Watching Josephina Baez’s preform Dominicanish reminded me of seeing people dancing Palo. She used her hand and legs to emphasize and cause suspense with what she was reciting loved how she incorporates English. I could relate to the part she mentions she didn’t want to talk in English because it was weird mouth movement. When I first learn Spanish and even now that I’m learning French, the words in their languages when saying it feels

According to Patria one of the three sisters involved in the movement, states that she and her other sisters were not willing to offer their family for the revolution until Minerva did “But Minerva, your own child- I began and then I saw it did hurt her to make this sacrifice she was convinced she needed to make” (Alvarez, 155). Patria’s compelling words show the determination of Minerva to end the sadistic presidency. Minerva doesn’t not want to give up her child but she does so for what she believes in. Such determination leads to worthiness of the sister’s sacrifices. Dede, the only sister who survived insists that she would have joined her sisters

Minerva was talking about real pressing items on how Trujillo was a bad person and how many were dying under his reign. She had a serious tone and often never had light topics or talked about her social life at school. Maria Teresa on the other hand most important topic was her first communion. We saw little drawings of what Minerva wore and how a girl stole her diary. It accurately shows the difference in age of the two girls.

Trujillo vs. Hitler The definition of a dictator is a ruler with complete and absolute power over a country that is usually received forcefully. Adolf Hitler and Rafael Trujillo are two examples of powerful dictators that impacted their country immensely. During their reins of power, German and Dominican people were abused, manipulated, and many were killed. Hitler and Trujillo have several similarities on how they dictated; although, the ways in which they chose to use their power differed.