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The Dominican Minister of the Environment, Orlando Jorge Merawas murdered this Monday in his officeand according to sources in the portfolio, the suspect would be a “personal friend” of the victim in custody.
A gunman stormed a weekly meeting Mera had with his deputy ministers and opened fire, according to officials who spoke on condition of a reserve.
The first versions of the witnesses were replied a few minutes later by the spokesman of the Presidency, Homero Figueroa, who assured: “The information we have managed so far indicates that in the morning hours today (Monday) the Minister of the Environment lost his life when he was attacked in his office with a firearm, “the AFP news agency reported.
Orlando Jorge Mera was murdered in his Santo Domingo office on Monday. For the assault, they arrested a personal friend of the victim. Photo: EFE
According to the spokesperson, she is called “the person identified as the killer”. Miguel Cruz and “was a personal friend of the late minister”.
Being a close friend of the victim, had no problem getting in to the seat of the ministry in Santo Domingo.
Figueroa also reported that “the one responsible is in custody of the National Police and the Public Prosecutor “.
An ambulance leaves the Ministry of the Environment of the Dominican Republic where Minister Orlando Jorge Mera was assassinated. Photo: EFE
He added that “the reasons for the accident are under investigation”.
Jorge Mera was the son of former Dominican President Salvador Jorge Blanco (1982-1986) and was in charge of the ministry since August 2020. He was a lawyer and a founding member of the Modern Revolutionary Party.
A team of the heavily armed elite unit entered the building where the events took place, according to the AFP.
“From the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources we are dismayed by the situation presented on Monday morning,” this institution, evacuated by the authorities, wrote earlier on Twitter.
Members of the security forces installed a fence around the Dominican Republic’s Ministry of the Environment after the attack. Photo: EFE
Bartolome Pujals, executive director of the Innovation Cabinet, complained about the murder in a Twitter post.
“His death is a tragedy”, he has declared. “We Dominicans must meet again to reach a pact of peace and peaceful coexistence. No more violence”.
With information from Telam
Source: Clarin
