Dominican Republic’s minister of the environment and natural resources and son of a former president Salvador Jorge Blanco – was shot and killed in his office on Monday by a childhood friend, said the office of the president in a statement.
Dominican authorities said Orlando Jorge Mera was shot by Miguel Cruz, who has been detained, no potential motive has been given so far.
“We express our deepest condolences,” the office of President Luis Abinader said.
Jorge comes from a powerful political family. He is the son of former Dominican President Salvador Jorge Blanco and his sister is a vice minister in Abinader’s administration. Jorge’s son is a lawmaker for the Modern Revolutionary Party, of which he is a founding member.
The family issued a statement saying that Cruz had been Jorge’s friend since childhood, and that Jorge was shot multiple times.
Mr Jorge Mera leaves behind a wife – the Dominican ambassador to Brazil, and two sons.
