Spanish
Orlando Jorge Mera, born in Santiago de los Caballeros 55 years ago, was a prominent Dominican lawyer, university professor, politician, and environmentalist. His life was marked by a deep commitment to public service, justice, and environmental protection. Son of former president Salvador Jorge Blanco (1982-1986), he inherited a tradition of leadership that he channeled towards the social and ecological causes of the Dominican Republic.
Education and Early Years of Orlando Jorge Mera
Jorge Mera completed his secondary studies at the San Ignacio de Loyola school, where he forged a close friendship with Luis Abinader, current president of the country. This relationship transcended the school years and was consolidated in the political arena, when both, along with other leaders, founded in 2014 the Modern Revolutionary Party (PRM) after leaving the PRD.
In 1991, he obtained his degree in Law, Summa Cum Laude, from the Pontificia Universidad Católica Madre y Maestra (PUCMM). Later, he completed a master's degree in Business Administration at the Universidad Domínico Americana (UNICDA) in 2013, and at the time of his death, he was pursuing a doctorate in Law at the Universidad Externado de Colombia and the PUCMM.
Professional Career and Politics of Orlando Jorge Mera
During his career, he held various public positions, including president of the Dominican Institute of Telecommunications (INDOTEL) between 2000 and 2004, a role he chronicled in his book Cuatro años al frente del Indotel. He was also political delegate of the PRM before the Central Electoral Board and host of the television program Líderes, a weekly space for analysis and interviews since 2004.
In 2020, after the electoral victory of the PRM, Orlando Jorge Mera was appointed Minister of Environment and Natural Resources, a position from which he promoted the protection of protected areas, the application of environmental law, and the fight against climate change. In June 2022, he participated in the Stockholm Conference, where he reaffirmed the country's commitment to a sustainable economic model.
Beekeeping, teaching and ecological legacy
The Ministry's official portal described him as "a seasoned beekeeper", an activity that reflected his love for nature and his commitment to environmental preservation. As a professor, he taught courses in media law, administrative law, and introduction to law at his alma mater, PUCMM.
Personal Life
Orlando Jorge Mera was married to Patricia Villegas, Dominican Republic's ambassador to Brazil since 2021 and partner at the law firm Jorge Mera & Villegas. He was the father of Orlando Jorge Villegas, current deputy, and brother of Dilia Leticia Jorge, vice minister of the Administrative Ministry of the Presidency.
Tragic ending
On June 6, 2022, Orlando Jorge Mera was shot to death in his ministerial office, an event that shocked the country. His death left a void in politics and in environmental defense in the Dominican Republic.
Paradoxically, his last tweet, published hours before the crime, was a message of condolences for the death of Sofía Leonor Sánchez Baret, former congresswoman and figure of the defunct PRD.
