Economist and political scientist Juan Garrigó Mejía has been elected secretary general of the ruling Modern Revolutionary Party in Santo Domingo on Sunday, succeeding his mother Carolina Mejía.
The 31-year-old was selected to lead the secretariat as part of a consensus slate approved during the leadership renewal process of the organization, known as the PRM.
His mother, Carolina Mejía, serves as mayor of the National District in the capital. As part of the same party proceedings, President Luis Abinader was re-elected as president of the PRM for a four-year term.
247 political desk context: the PRM is the governing social democratic political party in the Dominican Republic, having held power since 2020.
Political career and public service
Before taking charge of the general secretariat, Garrigó Mejía accumulated experience across both legislative politics and public administration in the Dominican Republic. Between 2016 and 2020, he served as director of the PRM Senate caucus.
He subsequently served on the PRM alliance commission responsible for negotiating coalitions with partner political groups ahead of the 2020 general elections, a role he repeated for the 2024 electoral cycle.
Following the party's election victory, President Luis Abinader appointed Garrigó Mejía as Vice Minister of Social and Community Management within the Administrative Ministry of the Presidency under Decree 330-20.
Background and education
Garrigó Mejía, whose full name is Juan de Jesús Garrigó Mejía, was born on December 27, 1994. He belongs to a prominent Dominican political family as the son of Carolina Mejía and Juan Garrigó Lefeld.
He is the grandson of former Dominican President Hipólito Mejía, who served as head of state from 2000 to 2004, and the late former First Lady Rosa Gómez de Mejía.
Garrigó Mejía completed his higher education in the United States and the Dominican Republic. He earned degrees in political science and economics from American University in Washington, D.C., before completing postgraduate studies in public administration at Barna Management School in affiliation with Georgetown University.
Commitment to party unity
Following the announcement of his election on Sunday, the new secretary general published a statement on his official Instagram account outlining his vision for the role.
Garrigó Mejía stated that he assumed the position as a commitment of service to the party leadership and membership. He wrote that he committed himself to the party, its leadership, and its collective work in service of the nation.
He emphasized that the general secretariat belongs to all members of the PRM, adding that he viewed the role as a responsibility to serve party organizers and grassroots militants rather than simply holding office.
Outlining the party's future direction, Garrigó Mejía said that alongside President Luis Abinader and the party leadership, they had a clear mandate to strengthen unity, listen to the public, and expand the PRM to serve the Dominican people, particularly those in greatest need.
Garrigó Mejía concluded his message by offering recognition to the outgoing party leadership. He expressed gratitude for their historic tenure, noting that their work had driven the party's electoral victories while maintaining internal party cohesion.
