Rafael Trujillo's Neck Surgery Performed by Dr. Darío Contreras

In the early 1940s Dominican dictator Rafael Leónidas Trujillo developed a severe neck infection, which some accounts attribute to anthrax contracted through his extensive contact with cattle and horses. Refusing to travel to Cuba or the United States for treatment, Trujillo's regime sought a specialist within the country and enlisted surgeon Darío Contreras, a renowned physician from Santiago. Contreras carried out a delicate operation that successfully halted the infection, allowing Trujillo to recover. The episode has entered Dominican historical lore as one of the most discussed medical interventions of the Trujillo era.

The story highlights the secrecy surrounding the dictator’s health and the risks faced by physicians treating a powerful leader, illustrating how personal medical crises intersected with political power in mid‑20th‑century Dominican Republic.