During the colloquium, previously unpublished documents were revealed about the role of Charles de Gaulle and France, as well as other actors, in opposing the U.S. intervention in 1965.

Paris, France.– Former President of the Dominican Republic, Leonel Fernández, led an international commemorative colloquium on Tuesday, April 22, in the French capital, marking the 60th anniversary of the April 1965 Revolution — a crucial event in Dominican democratic history.

The event was held at the Maison de l’Amérique Latine in Paris, France, and was jointly organized by the Global Foundation for Democracy and Development (GFDD), presided over by Fernández, and the French institution, with the support of renowned universities and academic institutions from France and Spain, including the Charles de Gaulle Foundation.

During the opening session, speeches were delivered by French diplomat Jean-Marc Laforêt, president of the Maison de l’Amérique Latine; Leonel Fernández himself; and Arnaud Teyssier, president of the Scientific Council of the Charles de Gaulle Foundation.

The first roundtable, titled “Background of the April Revolution and U.S. Intervention,” brought together historian Frank Moya Pons, sociologist and historian Roberto Cassá (via video), and American political scientist Abraham Lowenthal, with moderation by the president of GFDD.

This was followed by the panel “International Impact of the April Revolution,” featuring historian Maurice Vaïsse, diplomat Jean Mendelson, and former Dominican Vice President Rafael Alburquerque (also via video). The session was moderated by academic Pedro A. Martínez Lillo and jurist Laurence Burgorgue-Larsen.

At noon, a valuable documentary produced by ORTF in May 1965 was screened, showcasing the French coverage of the Dominican crisis that year.

The afternoon session began with the panel “New Approaches to the April Revolution,” featuring historians Pedro Martínez Lillo, Daniel Rodríguez Suárez, Javier Castro, and diplomat and journalist Víctor Grimaldi, moderated by academic and journalist Juan Luis Cebrián, a member of the Royal Spanish Academy.

Later, the panel “The Dominican Republic after April 1965: Toward the Construction of Democracy” took place, with contributions from French sociologist Michel Wieviorka, former president of the Dominican Constitutional Court Milton Ray Guevara, and former French Prime Minister Bernard Cazeneuve.

During the colloquium, previously unpublished documents were also revealed regarding the role of Charles de Gaulle and France, as well as other actors, in opposing the U.S. military intervention in the Dominican Republic in 1965. These sources, analyzed during the panel on the international impact of the April Revolution, highlighted France’s critical stance in defense of the principle of non-intervention.

The colloquium concluded with a discussion titled “Democracy in Latin America and the Caribbean Facing Global Challenges,” featuring Leonel Fernández and French thinker Jacques Attali, moderated by Juan Luis Cebrián.

Additionally, a photography exhibition dedicated to the events of April 1965 was inaugurated, curated by Nicole Méndez, Isabel Mendoza, and Ramón Aceña Rincón, along with the screening of a documentary inspired by the work of Dominican filmmaker René Fortunato. The exhibition will remain open to the public until June.

This event reaffirmed Leonel Fernández’s commitment to preserving historical memory and defending democratic values in the face of contemporary challenges.