The Dominican Republic's minister of the environment and natural resources the son of a former president was shot to death in his office by a close friend Monday, the office of the president said in a statement.
Authorities said Orlando Jorge Mera was shot by Miguel Cruz, who had been detained.
Officials gave no motive, and it wasn't immediately clear if Cruz had an attorney.
We express our deepest condolences, the office of President Luis Abinader said.
Heavily armed police officers quickly escorted Cruz out of the building after the shooting.
He was wearing a helmet and bulletproof vest and kept his head mostly down as the glasses he wore slid slightly down his nose. One bystander yelled: You killed a good man! Murderer!
The victim came from a powerful political family. Jorge was 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 Jorge was 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.
Our family forgives the person who did this. One of Orlando's greatest legacies was to not hold grudges," it said.
Police and emergency officials swarmed the office of Environment and Natural Resources Ministry in the capital of Santo Domingo and barred entry as mourners gathered nearby.
Jorge's office was on the fourth floor of a building that also houses the Ministry of Tourism.
We are troubled by the situation, Jorge's ministry said in a brief statement.
Bartolom Pujals, executive director of the government's Cabinet of Innovation, wrote that he lamented the killing.
His death is a tragedy, Pujals said.
We Dominicans have to come together to achieve a pact for peace and peaceful coexistence. No more violence.
Jorge, a lawyer, was appointed minister of the environment and natural resources in August 2020.
(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
You’ve hit your limit of {{free_limit}} free articles this month.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
Already subscribed? Log in
Subscribe to read the full story →
Quarterly Starter
₹900
3 Months
₹300/Month
Smart Essential
₹2,700
1 Year
₹225/Month
Super Saver
₹3,900
2 Years
₹162/Month
Renews automatically, cancel anytime
Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans
Access to Exclusive Premium Stories Online
Over 30 behind the paywall stories daily, handpicked by our editors for subscribers


Complimentary Access to The New York Times
News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic
Business Standard Epaper
Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share


Curated Newsletters
Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox
Market Analysis & Investment Insights
In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor


Archives
Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997
Ad-free Reading
Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements


Seamless Access Across All Devices
Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app