SANTO DOMINGO. – President Luis Abinader began a new phase of changes in the government on Sunday, with the appointment of new heads of institutions related to transit, transportation, emergencies, aviation, foreign relations, housing, early childhood, ports and consular services.
The changes are part of a reorganization process in various areas of public administration and include moves in strategic positions within the State.
New heads of INTRANT, COE and Civil Defense
By Decree No. 551-26, the president appointed retired major general Juan Manuel Méndez García as the new executive director of the National Institute of Transit and Land Transportation (INTRANT), replacing Milton Morrison, who submitted his resignation.
Méndez García, who for two decades was in charge of the Emergency Operations Center (COE), is now going on to take over one of the institutions responsible for the regulation, planning and management of traffic and land transport in the Dominican Republic.
As part of the changes, Erdwin Robert Olivares Luciano was appointed director of the COE. He had served as deputy director of operations for that institution since February 2010, and thus comes to the directorship with extensive experience within the agency responsible for coordinating the national response to emergencies and disasters.
The decree also provides for the appointment of Carlos Manuel Paulino Cárdenas as executive director of Civil Defense, following the resignation of Juan Cesario Salas Rosario.
Salas Rosario was appointed by the Executive Branch as an honorary advisor on Civil Defense matters, so he will continue to be linked to the policies and strategies related to the protection and assistance of the population.
Changes in the airport sector and civil aviation
Lawyer and political leader Mérid de Jesús Torres Espinal was appointed this Sunday as the new executive director of the Airport Department, replacing Víctor Pichardo Custodio.
The appointment is contained in a decree issued by the Executive Branch, through which Torres Espinal returns to a leadership position in the public administration, after having headed the State Land Titling Technical Unit (UTECT).
Torres Espinal has experience in public administration. He left the executive directorship of UTECT on April 14, 2023, by Decree No. 159-23, after requesting a leave of absence and being replaced on an interim basis.
Likewise, the Executive Branch appointed lawyer and career diplomat Julio Peña Guzmán as the new president of the Civil Aviation Board (JAC), replacing Héctor E. Porcella Dumas, who held the position until August 2026.
Peña Guzmán has a background in institutional representation and the field of international civil aviation. Among his professional experiences, his work with the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), the United Nations specialized agency responsible for promoting the safety and development of international civil aviation, stands out.
New developments at INAIPI and the consular service
The changes on Sunday, August 16, Restoration Day, included the National Institute for Comprehensive Early Childhood Care (INAIPI), the Dominican consular service, and the National Migration Institute.
Through Decree No. 553-26, the president appointed Kenia Xiomara Guante Valdez as the new director of INAIPI, the agency responsible for coordinating and providing comprehensive care services to children during their early years of life.
The provision also designates Josefa Aquilina Castillo Rodríguez as Consul General of the Dominican Republic in Miami, Florida, United States, one of the country's main consular posts due to the significant presence of the Dominican community in that area.
Bisonó moves to Foreign Affairs and Jean Luis Rodríguez takes over Housing
The Executive Branch also included in its decrees the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Housing, Habitat and Buildings and the Dominican Port Authority (APORDOM), through Decree No. 554-26.
The provision designates Víctor -Ito- Bisonó Haza as the new Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Dominican Republic, following the resignation submitted by Roberto Álvarez.
Bisonó thus takes over as head of Dominican foreign policy after spending seven months at the head of the Ministry of Housing, Habitat and Buildings.
Before assuming that position, he served for several years as Minister of Industry, Commerce, and SMEs. He also served as a representative for the National District for four terms, between 2002 and 2020, and has over three decades of political and institutional experience.
The decree also establishes that Roberto Álvarez is designated ambassador emeritus, in accordance with the provisions of article 77 of Law No. 630-16, Organic Law of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Foreign Service.
As part of the changes, the president appointed Jean Luis Rodríguez as the new Minister of Housing, Habitat and Buildings, replacing Bisonó.
Rodríguez joins the institution after serving for six years as executive director of the Dominican Port Authority, a position he held since 2020.
Santiago and the foreign service
In Santiago, the president appointed César Andrés Pichardo Fermín as president of the Board of Directors of the Santiago Water and Sewerage Corporation (CORAASAN).
Likewise, Bernardo Antonio Inoa Pichardo was appointed as a member of the Board of Directors of CORAASAN.
The decree also includes changes to the foreign service. In that regard, Elías de Jesús Brache Rivas was appointed Consul General of the Dominican Republic in Los Angeles, California, United States.
