President Luis Abinader decorated his late Minister of Environment Orlando Jorge Mera. Prosecutors say that Jorge Mera was murdered in his office by a long-time friend who sought to benefit from irregular export permits.
Jorge Mera’s widow, Patricia Villegas, and his children, Orlando Jorge Villegas and Dilia Leticia Jorge Mera received the decoration. Orlando is a member of the Chamber of Deputies. Dilia Leticia is the deputy minister for Innovation, Transparency and Citizen Assistance at the Administrative Ministry of the Presidency. Patricia Villegas is the Dominican Republic’s ambassador in Brazil.
During the ceremony at the Presidential Palace, Orlando Jorge was decorated with the order of Duarte, Sanchez and Mella, silver cross, on the date marking the assassination.
President Abinader was a classmate in high school with Jorge Mera and a long-time friend. “If he had something wrong with him, it was that he was too good…that was Orlando, that was Orlando throughout his life and he also died respecting the laws of the Dominican Republic and because many did not understand that he had friends but not accomplices,” stated the President during the ceremony.
Read more in Spanish:
Presidency
Listin Diario
Listin Diario
Diario Libre
7 June 2023