The Role Of Government In Julia Alvarez's In The Time Of Butterflies

What were the characterstics of tyranny or dictatorship government that were highlighted in the novel, In The Time of Butterflies?

In The Time of Butterflies is a historical novel by Julia Alvarez, regarding the account of the four Mirabal sisters or the Butterflies. Minevra, Patria, Maria Teresa and Dede, speak across dedcades to tell their own stories. Where they describe the daily horrors experienced under Trujillo's regime. The author boldly highlighted the evils and oppressions people encounter in the hands of a dictator who embody many characterstics of a tyrannical government. Such as persecution, suppression and invasion of privacy. The three sisters excluding Dede, make a political commitment to overthrow Trujillo's government. However, they are killed on Puerto Plata
Trujillo employed this method against people whom he believed had wronged him or to impede their efforts of defeating his government. The author demonstrates this through the unfortunate series of events experienced by the Mirabal family. For instance, after the incident where Minerva rejected Trujillo's improper advances by slapping him, her father is "sent to the capital for questioning," but in reality it was more than a matter of questioning. Minerva's father was subject to extreme torture as punishment for his daughter's audaucity, and it was later discovered that "he has gone mad" due to his imprisonment. Furthermore, the three Mirabal sisters exposed themselves and their family to greater danger as they commenced with their political activity. They were being constantly spied on, received numerous threats, and were eventually imprisoned. Likewise, other individuals were suppressed by the SIM. Trujillo himself has implied the use of cruel tactics to silence educators of communism or politics that contradicted his own, when he quotes "but we've been teaching those teachers their lessons all