On Monday, June 6th, Minister Orlando Jorge Mera of the Dominican Republic was assassinated by Miguel Cruz. Mera was the Minister of Environment and Natural Resources from August 2020 until his assassination. The suspect, Miguel Cruz, was arrested after confessing to a local priest. Cruz and Mera were childhood friends due to their familial connections. Cruz’s motive for murder is allegedly connected to Mera’s denial of a permit to transport 5,000 tons of used batteries for the company Aurum Gavia SA. 

Cruz used his connection to Mera to gain unfettered access to the office without the presence of security guards. Mera allegedly said, “Miguel is  my friend, Miguel is my brother, he is my brother, why security?” Before the tragic event, Cruz wrote online that he “…campaigned, and they didn’t resolve my case.” These statements by Cruz referred to his work campaigning for Mera and how he expected the favor to be returned in the form of granting permits. The office of President Luis Abinader stated condolence in response to the murder of Mera, and Bartolomé Pujals, the executive director of the government’s Cabinet of Innovation, stated that “(Mera’s) death is a tragedy. We Dominicans have to come together to achieve a pact for peace and peaceful coexistence. No more violence.” The office of the President also issued three days of mourning for Minister Mera’s passing. 

Miguel Cruz faces the possibility of 40 years in prison as a result of a violation of Articles 66 and 67 of Law 67 and Law 616-16 on Control and Regulation of Weapons, Ammunition, and Related Materials. Article 66 states that “any natural person who takes the life of another to commit robbery with violence, possessing an illegal firearm, shall be punished with a penalty of thirty to forty years of deprivation of liberty.” Mirna Ortiz, the Court Prosecutor and litigation coordinator of the Specialized Prosecutor’s Office for the Prosecution of Administrative Corruption, stated that “The court has accepted in all its parts the request presented by the Public Prosecutor’s Office, imposing 12 months of preventive imprisonment for the accused, as we have requested in our written request for the coercive measure,” in regards to the conditions levied against Miguel Cruz. 

The murder of Mera points to a larger, highly concerning trend of lethal violence against environmentalists in Latin America. Mera stated that he was dedicated to the “responsible” use of natural resources and had reported cases to the courts for violations of environmental standards. Cruz’s motive appears to be directly linked to Mera’s efforts to enforce strict environmental policies. In 2020, there were 227 deadly attacks against environmentalists. One hundred sixty-five of these attacks took place in Latin America. The human rights group Global Witness alleges that its data doesn’t reflect “the true dimension of the problem” as victims and their families fail to file reports in fear of retaliation. 

Tragedies like the assassination of Minister Mera will continue occurring until the issue of systemic violence against environmental activists is addressed. The Dominican Republic does not have a history of environmental violence, and incendiary incidents must be nipped in the bud before retaliatory violence becomes normalized. The Abinader administration should use this time to formally condemn the use of violence to address grievances. Furthermore, the Abinader administration should launch a formal investigation into Aurum Gavia SA due to its connection with Miguel Cruz. Finally, national steps should be taken to strengthen protections for environmentalists and formally condemn violence against activists.