The Anti-Trujillo opposition, the Caribbean Legion and Costa Rica’s Jose Figueres (1944-1949)

En la década de 1940, los exiliados dominicanos, junto a otros centroamericanos, se unieron en la organización denominada Legión del Caribe con el objetivo de apoyarse mutuamente contra las dictaduras. Acordaron comenzar la lucha contra Trujillo y Somoza, pero la coyuntura aconsejó posponer los planes iniciales y se implicaron en la guerra civil o revolución de Costa Rica de 1948. Los dominicanos Horacio Ornes y Juan Rodríguez dirigieron la activa participación en el conflicto que terminaría con la toma del poder por José Figueres (presidente de facto de 1948 a 1949), que no hubiera sido posible sin la Legión del Caribe. Sin embargo, José Figueres no asumió posteriormente su compromiso con la Legión y las reclamaciones dominicanas nunca se atendieron.In the 1940’s, exiled Dominicans and other Central-Americans joined together in an organization called the Caribbean Legion, with the objective of providing mutual support in the struggle against dictatorship. They began by agreeing to fight against Trujillo and Somoza, but circumstances favored the postponement of their initial plans, and their involvement in the Civil War or Revolution of Costa Rica of 1948 instead. Dominicans Horacio Ornes and Juan Rodriguez led the active participation in the conflict, which ended with the accession to power of Jose Figueres (de facto President between 1948 and 1949), whose presidency would not have been possible without the Caribbean Legion’s involvement. Jose Figueres didn’t comply with his commitments to the Legion, however, and the demands of the Dominicans were never attended