Buenaventura Báez's first term establishes the personal…

Buenaventura Báez's first term establishes the personal rivalry with Pedro will Santana that dominate Dominican politics until the latter's death in 1864.

President Báez purges Santana's followers (santanistas) from the government and installs his own followers (baecistas) in their place, pardons a number of Santana's political opponents, reorganizes the military in an effort to dilute Santana's power base, and apparently conceives a plan to create a militia that will serve as a counterforce to the army.