period, Joaquín Balaguer was appointed Vice President in 1957 and President in 1960. 85 The Trujillo dictatorship was characterized by the severe repression of opposition political parties, using clandestine surveillance mechanisms, monitoring, illegal detentions, cruel treatment and torture in detention centers 86 and, in particular, a “practice of forced disappearance as a State policy designed to eliminate political opposition.” 87 88. Following the death of Trujillo in 1961, Joaquín Balaguer became President of the country from 1966 to 1978, 88 a period of government usually known as the “12 Balaguer years,” during which, as described by the State itself, the systematic practice of repression against the opposition parties continued. According to the evidence provided by the Dominican Republic, during the Trujillo dictatorship, most murders and disappearances were perpetrated against members of the press, and “the autocratic Government of Joaquín Balaguer,” referring to the 12-year government, together with other dictatorial governments “led the atrocities and other acts of vandalism against the press.” 89 B.2) 1994 Electoral Process 89. Joaquín Balaguer was elected President in 1986 and 1990. Between 1991 and 1994, a political and socio-economic crisis began to emerge, in particular “a crisis of the Balaguerist model.” 90 On May 16, 1994, presidential elections were held in the Dominican Republic, and Joaquín Balaguer was re-elected President of the Republic. The elections were held in a highly-polarized climate among the participating political parties and this, added to the close result of the vote (approximately 1%), resulted in serious doubts about his legitimacy. 91 85 Balaguer was Vice President when he accompanied the presidential candidacy of Trujillo’s brother, Héctor Bienvenido Trujillo. Cf. Affidavit prepared by expert witness José Antinoe Fiallo Billini on June 16, 2011 (merits file, tome III, folio 1168); book entitled “Yo fui del servicio secreto de la policía dominicana” by Rafael Ortega, pp. 155156 (file of attachments to the pleadings and motions brief, attachment 2, folio 4687), and book entitled “Manual de Historia Dominicana” by Frank Moya Pons, p. 524 (file of attachments to the pleadings and motions brief, attachment 1, folios 4624 and 4626). 86 Cf. “Yo fui del servicio secreto de la policía dominicana”, supra note 85, p. 36, folio 4659; article by Roberto Cassa entitled “Negotiated elections” published in the NACLA Report on the Americas, March/April 1997 (file of attachments to the pleadings and motions brief, attachment 12, folio 4895), and “Manual de Historia Dominicana”, supra note 85, p. 513, folio 4619. 87 IACHR, Report on the Situation of Human Rights in the Dominican Republic of October 7, 1999, OEA/Ser.L/V/II.104, para. 152 (file of attachments to the application, attachment 1, folio 3687). Also, Cf. Documentary video entitled “La violencia del poder” by René Fortunato (file of attachments to the application, attachment 20); documentary video entitled “La Herencia del Tirano” by René Fortunato (file of attachments to the application, attachment 21); testimony provided by expert witness José Antinoe Fiallo Billini, supra note 85, folio 1169, and affidavit made by expert witness Cristóbal Rodríguez Gómez on June 20, 2011 (merits file, tome III, folio 1159). 88 Cf. “Manual de Historia Dominicana”, supra note 85, pp. 537 to 549, folios 4631 to 4637; testimony provided by expert witness José Antinoe Fiallo Billini, supra note 85, folio 1167, and affidavit made by witness Luis Eduardo Lora Iglesias (Huchi Lora) on June 26, 2011 (merits file, tome III, folio 1112). 89 Book entitled “Crímenes contra la prensa. Atentados and censuras en República Dominicana, 1844-2007” by Oscar López Reyes, pp. 655 to 657 and 669 (file of attachments to the answer to the application, tome II, attachment 12, folios 6356, 6357 and 6363). 90 Testimony provided by expert witness José Antinoe Fiallo Billini, supra note 85, folios 1167 and 1168. In addition, Robert Salvador Vargas explained that between 1990 and 1994, “the discontent was palpable; there were three or four national strikes, which was an indication of the economic, social and political unrest in the country.” Affidavit made by expert witness Robert Salvador Ramos Vargas on June 16, 2011 (merits file, tome III, folio 1181). 91 Cf. Report of the Organization of American States entitled “Electoral Observations in the Dominican Republic 1994-1996” (file of attachments to the application, attachment 3, folios 3745 and 3748); article published 30