The Dominican Republic: Stuck Between a Troubled Past and a Promising Future

With the Dominican Republic in the middle of an election season, the streets of Santo Domingo are colorful and lively. Dominicans are set to vote in presidential and parliamentary elections May 15, and there is palpable excitement in the air as campaign posters fill the city's streets and adorn buildings and billboards. But it seems this excitement is also mixed with feelings of apprehension or, in some cases, resignation. A brief history of the country may help explain why....