Former President Mejía Defends Grandson's PRM Party Leadership Role

Former Dominican Republic President Hipólito Mejía has publicly defended the selection of his grandson, Juan Garrigó Mejía, as the new general secretary of the ruling Modern Revolutionary Party (PRM). Mejía asserted that Garrigó's appointment is a testament to his preparation, career trajectory, and dedicated work within the party structure.

Garrigó, son of the current PRM general secretary and National District mayor Carolina Mejía, and grandson of Hipólito Mejía, was chosen through a consensus process. The former president hailed this internal selection as a demonstration of the PRM's "maturity and internal democracy." He also congratulated President Luis Abinader on assuming the party's presidency, anticipating a continued consolidation of leadership.

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In public life, sometimes there are those who confuse the environment with privilege, but the reality is that respect in politics is not inherited, it is sweated.

Addressing the perception of nepotism, Mejía firmly rejected the notion that his grandson's rise to the general secretary position was solely a result of familial connections. "In public life, sometimes there are those who confuse the environment with privilege, but the reality is that respect in politics is not inherited, it is sweated," he stated in a message accompanied by photographs. Mejía stressed that while Garrigó's public service background is undeniable, having grown up in a political family, his current role was earned through personal effort.

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He is a brilliant young man, academically trained for this, who has traveled the country building support, who has worked hard within the party and has shown his grit and capacity for work in the management of our Government.

Mejía described his grandson as a "brilliant" young man with strong academic training and political experience. He highlighted Garrigó's extensive travel across the country to build support and his demonstrated capacity for hard work within the government's administration. The former president expressed pride as a grandfather and confidence as a political leader, believing the general secretary position is now in the hands of a dedicated individual ready to serve.

The new party authorities, selected for the 2026-2030 term, are scheduled to be sworn in on September 2. Mejía noted the symbolic significance of Garrigó succeeding his mother in the role, viewing it as a representation of a new generation prepared to defend the nation's democracy.

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In this image, I not only see my grandson taking on a huge challenge by succeeding his mother; I see a prepared leader, with the character, vision, and strength of a new generation that is ready to continue defending our democracy.