Salvador Jorge Blanco | Ex-Dominican leader, 84
Salvador Jorge Blanco, 84, a former president of the Dominican Republic who was convicted of corruption under a political antagonist's administration but later cleared by an appeals court, died Sunday at his home in Santo Domingo, relatives said.
Salvador Jorge Blanco, 84, a former president of the Dominican Republic who was convicted of corruption under a political antagonist's administration but later cleared by an appeals court, died Sunday at his home in Santo Domingo, relatives said.
Mr. Blanco had been in a coma since suffering a cerebral hematoma Nov. 20. He had been diagnosed with hydrocephalus, in which liquid builds up around the brain and spinal cord.
President from 1982 to 1986, he was sentenced along with three other men to 20 years in prison in 1991 for misspending government funds meant for military purchases. He served two months in prison before he was released to continue his appeal.
His conviction was overturned in 2001, when the appeals court ruled that Mr. Blanco and the three others were never provided the right to defend themselves at trial.
Mr. Blanco's one term was marked by severe economic problems that lingered despite his austerity policies. He did not seek reelection. - AP