List of Presidents of the Dominican Republic

President of the Dominican Republic
Presidential Standard
Incumbent Danilo Medina since 16 August 2012
Style	His Excellency
Residence	National Palace, Santo Domingo
Term length	Four years
Inaugural holder	Pedro Santana
Formation	13 November 1844
Website	presidencia.gov.do

The President of the Dominican Republic is both the head of state and head of government of the Dominican Republic. The presidential system was established in 1844, following the proclamation of the republic during the Dominican War of Independence. The President of the Dominican Republic is styled His Excellency during his time in office. His official residence is the National Palace.

The current President of the Dominican Republic is Danilo Medina of the Partido de la Liberación Dominicana (PLD) (Dominican Liberation Party), who took office on 16 August 2012.

Constitutional role

The Constitution of the Dominican Republic, which was most recently amended in 2015, establishes the requirements, rights and obligations of the President of the Republic.

The office can be held for up to two consecutive four-year terms.^[1] Persons who have completed their presidencies cannot run for the presidency again.^[1] The change of command takes place every four years, on 16 August, which is the day of the Restoration of the Republic, a national holiday.

Prior to 2015, the President was limited to one consecutive term, but could run for the office again after at least one subsequent term.

Presidents of the Dominican Republic (1844–present)

No.	Portrait	Name (Birth–Death)	Began office	Left office	Party	Title(s)
—		Tomás Bobadilla (1795–1871)	1 March 1844	13 November 1844	Independent	Central Government Board President: Tomás Bobadilla y Briones Members: Manuel Jimenes Carlos Moreno Mariano Echavarria Jose Maria Caminero Francisco del Rosario Sanchez Matias Ramon Mella Manuel Maria Valverde Francisco Xavier Abreu Felix Mercenario Silvano Pujol Juan Pablo Duarte
1		Pedro Santana (1801–1864)	13 November 1844	4 August 1848	Independent	President
—		Council of Secretaries of State	4 August 1848	8 September 1848	Independent	Council of Secretaries of State Members: Félix Mercenario Domingo de la Rocha José María Caminero Manuel Jimenes
2		Manuel Jimenes (1808–1854)	8 September 1848	29 May 1849	Independent	President
3		Buenaventura Báez (1812–1884)	29 May 1849	15 February 1853	Independent	President
4		Pedro Santana (1801–1864)	15 February 1853	26 May 1856	Independent	President
5		Manuel de Regla Mota (1795–1864)	26 May 1856	8 October 1856	Independent	President
6		Buenaventura Báez (1812–1884)	8 October 1856	13 June 1858	Independent	President
7		José Desiderio Valverde (1822–1903)	13 June 1858	31 August 1858	Independent	President
8		Pedro Santana (1801–1864)	31 August 1858	18 March 1861	Independent	President
Annexed by Spain (18 March 1861 – 14 September 1863)
—		José Antonio Salcedo (1816–1864)	14 September 1863	10 October 1864	Independent	Head of State during the Dominican Restoration War
—		Gaspar Polanco (1801–1864)	10 October 1864	23 January 1865	Independent	Head of State during the Dominican Restoration War
—		Generals-in-Chief	23 January 1865	24 January 1865	Military	Members: Pedro Antonio Pimentel Benito Monción Federico de Jesús García
—		Benigno Filomeno de Rojas (1821–1865)	24 January 1865	25 March 1865	Independent	Head of State during the Dominican Restoration War
9		Pedro Antonio Pimentel (1830–1874)	25 March 1865	4 August 1865	Independent	President
—		José María Cabral (1816–1899)	4 August 1865	15 November 1865	Military	Supreme Chief
—		Pedro Guillermo (1814–1867)	15 November 1865	8 December 1865	Independent	President of the Provisional Government Junta
10		Buenaventura Báez (1812–1884)	8 December 1865	29 May 1866	Red Party	President
—		Triumvirate	29 May 1866	22 August 1866	Independent	Members: Pedro Antonio Pimentel Gregorio Luperón Federico de Jesús García
11		José María Cabral (1816–1899)	22 August 1866	3 January 1868	Blue Party	President
12		Manuel Altagracia Cáceres (1838–1878)	3 January 1868	13 February 1868	Independent	President
—		Junta of Generals	13 February 1868	2 May 1868	Military	Members: José Antonio Hungría Francisco Antonio Gómez Báez José Ramón Luciano y Franco
13		Buenaventura Báez (1812–1884)	2 May 1868	2 January 1874	Red Party	President
—		Ignacio María González (1838–1915)	2 January 1874	22 January 1874	Green Party	Supreme Chief
—		Generals-in-Chief	22 January 1874	6 April 1874	Military	Members: Ignacio María González Manuel Altagracia Cáceres
14		Ignacio María González (1838–1915)	6 April 1874	23 February 1876	Green Party	President
—		Council of Secretaries of State	23 February 1876	29 April 1876	Independent	Council of Secretaries of State Members: Pedro Tomás Garrido José de Jesús de Castro Pedro Pablo de Bonilla Juan Bautista Zafra Pablo López Villanueva Jacinto Peynado
15		Ulises Francisco Espaillat (1823–1878)	29 April 1876	5 October 1876	Independent	President
—		Superior Governing Junta	5 October 1876	11 November 1876	Independent	Members: Pablo López Villanueva José Caminero Matías Juan Esteban Ariza Matos Fidel Rodríguez Urdaneta José de Jesús Eduardo de Castro Álvarez Juan Bautista Zafra y Miranda Pedro Tomás Garrido Matos
—		Ignacio María González (1838–1915)	11 November 1876	9 December 1876	Green Party	Supreme Chief
—		Marcos Antonio Cabral (1843–1903)	9 December 1876	26 December 1876	Independent	President of the Provisional Government Junta
16		Buenaventura Báez (1812–1884)	26 December 1876	2 March 1878	Red Party	President
—		Council of Secretaries of State	2 March 1878	5 March 1878	Blue Party	Council of Secretaries of State Members: José María Cabral Joaquín Montolío
17		Cesareo Guillermo (1847–1885)	5 March 1878	6 July 1878	Red Party	President
18		Ignacio María González (1838–1915)	6 July 1878	2 September 1878	Green Party	President
—		People's Military Chiefs	2 September 1878	6 September 1878	Military	People's Military Chiefs Members: Ulises Heureaux Cesáreo Guillermo
—		Jacinto de Castro (1811–1896)	7 September 1878	29 September 1878	Independent	Acting President
—		Council of Secretaries of State	30 September 1878	27 February 1879	Red Party	Council of Secretaries of State Members: Cesáreo Guillermo Alejandro Angulo Guridi Pedro Maria Aristy
19		Cesareo Guillermo (1847–1885)	27 February 1879	6 December 1879	Red Party	President
20		Gregorio Luperón (1839–1897)	6 December 1879	1 September 1880	Blue Party	President
21		Fernando Arturo de Meriño (1833–1906)	1 September 1880	1 September 1882	Blue Party	President
22		Ulises Heureaux (1845–1899)	1 September 1882	1 September 1884	Blue Party	President
23		Francisco Gregorio Billini (1844–1898)	1 September 1884	16 May 1885	Blue Party	President
24		Alejandro Woss y Gil (1856–1932)	16 May 1885	6 January 1887	Blue Party	President
25		Ulises Heureaux (1845–1899)	6 January 1887	27 February 1889	Blue Party	President
—		Manuel María Gautier (1830–1897)	27 February 1889	30 April 1889	Blue Party	Acting President
26		Ulises Heureaux (1845–1899)	30 April 1889	26 July 1899	Blue Party	President
27		Wenceslao Figuereo (1834–1910)	26 July 1899	30 August 1899	Blue Party	President
—		Council of Secretaries of State	30 August 1899	31 August 1899	Independent	Council of Secretaries of State Members: Tomás Demetrio Morales Arístides Patiño Enrique Henríquez y Alfau Jaime R. Vidal Braulio Álvarez
—		People's Revolutionary Governing Junta	31 August 1899	4 September 1899	Independent	Council of Secretaries of State Members: Mariano Cestero Álvaro Logroño Arístides Patiño Pedro María Mejía
—		Horacio Vásquez (1860–1936)	4 September 1899	15 November 1899	Red Party	President of the Provisional Government Junta
28		Juan Isidro Jimenes Pereyra (1846–1919)	15 November 1899	2 May 1902	Blue Party	President
—		Horacio Vásquez (1860–1936)	2 May 1902	23 April 1903	Red Party	President of the Provisional Government Junta
29		Alejandro Woss y Gil (1856–1932)	23 April 1903	24 November 1903	Blue Party	President
30		Carlos Felipe Morales (1868–1914)	24 November 1903	29 December 1905	Red Party	President
—		Council of Secretaries of State	25 December 1905	12 January 1906	Independent	Council of Secretaries of State (acting for Morales) Members: Manuel Lamarche García Emiliano Tejera Andrés Julio Montolío Francisco Leonte Vásquez Lajara Carlos Ginebra Eladio Victoria Federico Velásquez y Hernández
31		Ramón Cáceres (1866–1911)	12 January 1906	19 November 1911	Red Party	President
—		Council of Secretaries of State	19 November 1911	5 December 1911	Independent	Council of Secretaries of State Members: Miguel Antonio Román José María Cabral Manuel de Jesús Troncoso de la Concha Federico Velásquez y Hernández Manuel Lamarche García Emilio Tejera Rafael Díaz
32		Eladio Victoria (1864–1939)	5 December 1911	30 November 1912	Independent	President
—		Adolfo Alejandro Nouel (1862–1937)	30 November 1912	13 April 1913	Independent	Provisional President
—		José Bordas Valdez (1874–1968)	14 April 1913	27 August 1914	Independent	Provisional President
—		Ramón Báez (1858–1929)	28 August 1914	5 December 1914	Red Party	Provisional President
33		Juan Isidro Jimenes Pereyra (1846–1919)	5 December 1914	7 May 1916	Blue Party	President
—		Council of Secretaries of State	7 May 1916	31 July 1916	Independent	Council of Secretaries of State Members: Jaime Mota Bernardo Pichardo José Manuel Jimenes Federico Velásquez y Hernández
34		Francisco Henríquez y Carvajal (1859–1935)	31 July 1916	29 November 1916	Independent	President
—		Juan Bautista Vicini Burgos (1871–1935)	21 October 1922	12 July 1924	Independent	Provisional President Note: Served under the United States occupation
35		Horacio Vásquez (1860–1936)	12 July 1924	3 March 1930	Red Party	President
—		Rafael Estrella Ureña (1889–1945)	3 March 1930	16 August 1930	Republican Party	Acting President
36		Rafael Trujillo (1891–1961)	16 August 1930	16 August 1938	Patriotic Coalition of Citizens (until 2 August 1931.)	President
(36)					Dominican Party
37		Jacinto Peynado (1878–1940)	16 August 1938	24 February 1940	Dominican Party	President
38		Manuel de Jesús Troncoso de la Concha (1878–1955)	24 February 1940	18 May 1942	Dominican Party	President
39		Rafael Trujillo (1891–1961)	18 May 1942	16 August 1952	Dominican Party	President
40		Héctor Trujillo (1908–2002)	16 August 1952	3 August 1960	Dominican Party	President
41		Joaquín Balaguer (1906–2002)	3 August 1960	16 January 1962	Dominican Party	President
—		Civic-Military Council	16 January 1962	18 January 1962	Independent	Civic-Military Council Members: Armando Óscar Pacheco Luis Amiama Tió Antonio Imbert Barrera Enrique Valdez Vidaurre Wilfredo Medina Natalio Huberto Bogaert
42		Rafael Filiberto Bonnelly (1904–1979)	18 January 1962	27 February 1963	Dominican Revolutionary Party	President
43		Juan Bosch (1909–2001)	27 February 1963	25 September 1963	Dominican Revolutionary Party	President
—		Víctor Elby Viñas Román (1925–2004)	25 September 1963	26 September 1963	Military	Chairman of the Provisional Junta
—		Emilio de los Santos y Salcié	26 September 1963	22 December 1963	Military	Members: Emilio de los Santos y Salcié (to 22 December 1963) (Chairman) Donald Reid Cabral (from 29 December 1963) (Chairman) Manuel Enrique Tavares Espaillat Ramón Tapia Espinal
—		Donald Reid Cabral (1923–2006)	22 December 1963	25 April 1965	Military
—		Revolutionary Committee	25 April 1965	25 April 1965	Dominican Revolutionary Party	Members: Vinicio Fernández Pérez Giovanni Gutiérrez Ramírez Francisco Alberto Caamaño Deñó Eladio Ramírez Sánchez Pedro Bartolomé Benoit
—		José Rafael Molina Ureña (1921–2000)	25 April 1965	27 April 1965	Dominican Revolutionary Party	Provisional President
Vacant (27 April 1965 – 1 May 1965)
—		Pedro Bartolomé Benoit (1921–2012)	1 May 1965	7 May 1965	Military	Provisional President Note: Served under the United States occupation
44		Antonio Imbert Barrera (1920–2016)	7 May 1965	30 August 1965	Military	President Note: Served under the United States occupation
—		Francisco Caamaño (1932–1973)	30 August 1965	3 September 1965	Dominican Revolutionary Party	President Note: Contested during occupation
—		Héctor García-Godoy (1921–1970)	3 September 1965	1 July 1966	Social Christian Reformist Party	Provisional President Note: Served under the United States occupation
45		Joaquín Balaguer (1906–2002)	1 July 1966	16 August 1978	Social Christian Reformist Party	President
46		Antonio Guzmán Fernández (1911–1982)	16 August 1978	4 July 1982	Dominican Revolutionary Party	President
47		Jacobo Majluta Azar (1934–1996)	4 July 1982	16 August 1982	Dominican Revolutionary Party	President
48		Salvador Jorge Blanco (1926–2010)	16 August 1982	16 August 1986	Dominican Revolutionary Party	President
49		Joaquín Balaguer (1906–2002)	16 August 1986	16 August 1996	Social Christian Reformist Party	President
50		Leonel Fernández (1953–)	16 August 1996	16 August 2000	Dominican Liberation Party	President
51		Hipólito Mejía (1941–)	16 August 2000	16 August 2004	Dominican Revolutionary Party	President
52		Leonel Fernández (1953–)	16 August 2004	16 August 2012	Dominican Liberation Party	President
53		Danilo Medina (1951–)	16 August 2012	Incumbent	Dominican Liberation Party	President

Military (de facto) leader of the Dominican Republic (1933–1961)

No.	Portrait	Name (Birth–Death)	Began office	Left office	Party	Title(s)
N/A		Rafael Trujillo (1891–1961)	26 May 1933	30 May 1961	Dominican Party	Generalissimo

Foreign governors and military commanders

Spanish Governors and Captains-General

• 18 March 1861 – 20 July 1862: Pedro Santana y Familias, (from 28 March 1862) marqués de las Carreras (acting to 8 June 1861)
• 20 July 1862 – 22 October 1863: José Felipe Rivero y Lemoine
• 22 October 1863 – 29 March 1864: Carlos de Vargas y Cerveto
• 29 March 1864 – 11 July 1865: José de la Gándara y Navarro (nominally from 1 May 1865)

U.S. Commanders

• 30 March 1903 – 21 April 1903: Richard G. McConnell
• 8 February 1904 – 11 February 1904: James M. Miller

U.S. Governors

• 29 November 1916 – 18 November 1918: Harry Shepard Knapp
  • 23 August 1917 – 11 September 1917: Edwin Alexander Anderson Jr. (acting for Knapp)
  • 5 February 1918 – 17 March 1918: Joseph Henry Pendleton (1st time; acting for Knapp)
  • 6 April 1918 – 1 June 1918: Joseph Henry Pendleton (2nd time; acting for Knapp)
  • 2 July 1918 – 1 September 1918: Joseph Henry Pendleton (3rd time; acting for Knapp)
• 18 November 1918 – 25 February 1919: Benjamin Hebard Fuller
• 25 February 1919 – 3 June 1921: Thomas Snowden Jr.
• 3 June 1921 – 21 October 1922: Samuel S. Robinson
  • 3 January 1922 – 19 February 1922: Harry Lee (1st time; acting for Robinson)
  • 14 June 1922 – 24 July 1922: Harry Lee (2nd time; acting for Robinson)

U.S. High Commissioner

• September 1922 – 1924: Benjamin Sumner Welles

Commander of U.S. Land Forces (from 28 May 1965, Commander U.S. Forces and Deputy Commander Inter-American Peace Force)

• 1 May 1965 – January 1966: Bruce Palmer Jr.

Commanders of the Inter-American Peace Force (IAPF)

• 23 May 1965 – 28 May 1965: Bruce Palmer Jr. (U.S.) (acting)
• 28 May 1965 – January 1966: Hugo Panasco Alvim (Brazil)
• January 1966 – 21 September 1966: Álvaro Alves da Silva Braga (Brazil)

Latest election

Candidate	Party	Votes	%
Danilo Plutarco Medina Sánchez	Dominican Liberation Party	2,847,438	61.74
Luis Rodolfo Abinader Corona	Modern Revolutionary Party	1,613,222	34.98
Guillermo Antonio Moreno García	Country Alliance	84,399	1.83
Elías Wessin Chávez	Quisqueyano Christian Democratic Party	20,423	0.44
Pelegrín Horacio Castillo Semán	National Progressive Force	16,283	0.35
Minerva Josefina Tavárez Mirabal	Alliance for Democracy	16,256	0.35
Hatuey de Camps Jiménez	Revolutionary Social Democratic Party	8,264	0.18
Flor Soraya Aquino Campos de Checo	National Unity Party	5,678	0.12
Invalid/blank votes		96,783	–
Total		4,708,746	100
Registered voters/turnout		6,765,245	69.60
Source: JCE

See also

• Politics of the Dominican Republic
• List of Vice Presidents of the Dominican Republic

References

1. "Dominican Republic's Constitution of 2015" (PDF).