Dominican Republic's Environment Minister Is Assassinated

On Monday, Dominican Republic's Environment Minister Orlando Jorge-Mera was shot to death inside his office.

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Local outlet Acento reported that the attacker entered the ministerial office alone, fired six shots and fled without being arrested.

After the event, several ambulances and police officers went to the Ministry building, from which all officials were evacuated.

"We are dismayed by the situation presented on Monday morning. So far we have no details of what happened," the Environment Ministry said from its Twitter account.

The tweet reads, "An excerpt from the interview with Minister Orlando Jorge Mera at the 'This Is Not Radio' program, in which he spoke about his zero tolerance policy for environmental impunity. Peace to his soul."

After arriving at the ministerial headquarters, Senator Ricardo de los Santos said that Minister Jorge-Mera was assassinated.

This 55-year-old official was the son of former President Salvador Jorge-Blanco and had held his position since the beginning of President Luis Abinader's administration in August 2020.

A law graduate and leader of the Modern Revolutionary Party (PRM), Jorge-Mera was married to the Dominican ambassador to Brazil and leaves behind two orphaned children. One of them is lawmaker Orlando Jorge.