Former Santo Domingo Oeste mayor Jose Dolores Andujar Ramirez has been appointed as the director of the Provincial Development Directorate in the Dominican Republic. President Luis Abinader announced the executive designation on Sunday, August 16, 2026, enacting the decision under official Decree 555-26.
Andujar served as mayor of Santo Domingo Oeste during the 2020-2024 term. He sought re-election but lost the 2023 primary vote of the ruling Modern Revolutionary Party, known locally as the PRM, to Francisco Pena, who went on to win the mayoral office.
The appointment forms part of a broader series of administrative changes ordered by President Abinader across several Dominican state institutions. Official announcements confirmed that the government adjustments also encompass new leadership at the Santiago Water and Sewerage Corporation, the Dominican consulate in Los Angeles, and other public entities. Santo Domingo Oeste is a densely populated municipality situated directly west of the Dominican capital of Santo Domingo.
Engineering credentials and academic background
Andujar is a structural civil engineer by profession. He graduated in 1986 from the Autonomous University of Santo Domingo, the country's main state university and the oldest institution of higher learning in the Americas.
Following his degree, Andujar completed a post-graduate diploma in construction management. His technical background includes specialized training in financial cost analysis and seismic design, an important discipline for infrastructure built in earthquake-prone regions of the Caribbean.
Public sector career and infrastructure projects
Prior to his appointment to lead provincial development, Andujar held key technical and managerial positions across major state infrastructure agencies. His public service record includes administrative roles at the National Housing Institute, the National Institute of Hydraulic Resources, and the Ministry of Public Works and Communications.
Throughout his career in public administration, Andujar managed infrastructure initiatives across multiple provinces in the country. His professional portfolio encompasses the planning and construction of subsidized housing developments, regional highways, municipal aqueducts, urban avenues, and various civil public works.
