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The Foreign Ministry of the Dominican Republic

Miguel Vargas

Minister of Foreign Affairs

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Miguel Octavio Vargas Maldonado, who since August 16, 2016 was appointed as Minister of Foreign Affairs by the Most Excellent President of the Republic, was born in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, on September 26, 1950. Graduated from bachelor’s in physical sciences and Mathematics at the San Juan Bosco School. In 1973, he obtained a Civil Engineer degree at the University of Mayagüez, Puerto Rico, studying Advanced Mathematics during that same period.

After completing his university studies, he returned to the country, where he subsequently made a Postgraduate and Master's Degree in Mathematical Methods Applied to Civil Engineering, at the Pontificia Universidad Católica Madre y Maestra (PUCMM); beginning his working life as a Supervisor Engineer in the Dominican Telephone Company (CODETEL), subsidiary of GTE, in which, in 1976, he assumed the position of General Manager of Engineering and Buildings, position in which he remained until 1979, year in which he decided to resign to found his own company of Engineering and Real Estate Development.

In the decade of the 70s he met Dr. José Francisco Peña Gómez, General Secretary and Leader of the Dominican Revolutionary Party (PRD), a political organization that he immediately joined, creating a personal and political relationship that would change his life for the following years, since he became one of his main collaborators and man of his confidence; accompanying him on many of his many trips around the world and beginning work for the entrance of the PRD to the Socialist International. From there he held important positions, among which stand out: Member of the National Executive Committee, Member of the Political Commission, Member of the National Directive of the Front of Professionals, National Secretary of the Finance Committee and since 1997, as Vice President National of the PRD.

In 1981, he married Mrs. Angelita García de Vargas, with whom he Fathered Miguel Paul, Alberto Manuel and Alan Omar.

In 1982 he was appointed General Director of the Santo Domingo Aqueduct and Sewer Corporation (CAASD); In 1997 he was Pre Candidate for the City Hall of the City of Santo Domingo, Primate of America and from 2000 to 2004, he served as Secretary of State for Public Works and Communications of the Dominican Republic, a position that earned him the most high acknowledgments of various national and international sectors, for the efficient work done in the construction of important infrastructure works for the benefit of the Dominican nation, such as the Organizing Committee of the Pan American Games Santo Domingo 2003, taking responsibility of the construction of all the sports facilities where these games would be developed.

In 2008 he was proclaimed as Candidate for the Presidency of the Dominican Republic by the Dominican Revolutionary Party (PRD), after winning the internal convention process with 81% of the votes cast, and from 2009 to date, He is the National President of that political organization.

At the international level he has been Vice President of the Conference of Political Parties for Latin America (COPPAL). In 2009 he was elected World Vice President of the Socialist International, being re-elected in 2012 in Cape Town, South Africa. As of 2013, he was elected in Ocho Rios, Jamaica, as President of Latin America and the Caribbean of that important international political organization, replacing former President Martin Torrijos of Panama in that position.

He has held meetings and meetings with important Heads of State and Representatives International Organizations of various countries of the world, at the same time leading important meetings in the United Nations headquarters, both in New York and in Geneva, as well as in the Organization of American States (OAS) in Washington.

At the business level, he is Chairman of the VARMA Business Group, which concentrates a series of companies dedicated to the construction sector, the development of large real estate projects, and high-level infrastructure works, including other business branches that involve the most large shopping centers in the Dominican Republic (Blue Mall, Sambil, Novocentro, Isabel Aguiar Square, Lope de Vega Square), hotels such as the JW Marriot; tourism, housing projects; apartment towers and important office and commercial space.

He has been decorated with the highest distinction of the Dominican State, the Grand Silver Plate Cross of the Order of Duarte, Sánchez and Mella, and also with the Order of Leonidas Monasterio, of the State of Miranda, Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela.

For the elections of May 15, he declined his aspirations to the Presidency of the Republic and decided to support the re-election of President Danilo Medina, by signing the "Shared Government Agreement of National Unity."