Who was Ramón Alburquerque?

Ramón Alburquerque Ramírez (Monte Plata, June 5, 1949 – January 30, 2026) was a Dominican chemical engineer and politician. Former Minister of Economy, Planning and Development; former president of the Petroleum Refinery; former president of the National Energy Commission; former president of the National Forestry Technical Commission (CONATEF); former senator of the Republic for the province of Monte Plata[1] and former president of the Senate for 3 periods and is currently a producer of the TV and Radio program “Los Sabios en la Z”. He began studying chemical engineering at the Universidad Autónoma de Santo Domingo, UASD. From there, thanks to the influence of Juan Bosch, who was close to his family, and with a scholarship from the drivers’ union and a vehicle importing company, he attended the University of Kansas, USA, where he studied chemical engineering with a minor in computers. Upon his return to the country, he worked in various State secretariats and at the Central Bank, where he was an advisor and director of the Dominican Institute of Industrial Technology (INDOTEC), a platform that served him for training in Switzerland in the refining and marketing of gold and precious metals, to Norway for training in natural resources, environment and study on climate change; it is important to note that INDOTEC made significant contributions to the industrial growth and diversification of the nation. In 1981, he enrolled at McGill University, in Quebec, Montreal, Canada, in the degree of Planning and Economic Development Models, a training that he continued upon his return, at the Pontificia Universidad Católica Madre y Maestra (PUCMM), pursuing a master’s degree in public administration and administrative law, under the notable academic Jorge Morales Jordán from Puerto Rico. At the University of Zulia, Venezuela, he received training from Professor Carlos Matus on Situational Strategic Planning. Also, in 1987, he participated for two quarters at the Sorbonne University, in courses on planning and economic development. From childhood, languages have been his great delight, which is why he speaks Italian, German, English, and French.

Academic Background

In his work dedication, he began as a teacher at the Juan Pablo Duarte high school in 1967, then a teacher at the Autonomous University of Santo Domingo (UASD), the Catholic University Santo Domingo (UCSD), a lecturer at UTESA University, at the Colorado School of Mines, and Rodger University in New Jersey, USA. Controversy “Entren to’ Coño” On January 16, 1999, an incident of civil protest occurred, due to complaints of attacks on democracy by the government of former President Leonel Fernández, who police attacked 16 senators, resulting in five senators being injured, who were protesting on behalf of the Senate. Engineer Alburquerque, despite being president of the Senate, seriously risked his life along with the other legislators. In the heated moment of exchanges with the police, the moment where Alburquerque tries to enter the Senate despite the barricade set up by the National Police was captured on video, and he says the iconic phrase “Entren to’ coño”. Minister of Economy, Planning and Development President Salvador Jorge Blanco appointed engineer Alburquerque to this position at the age of 33, having assumed the technical coordination of his political campaign at the age of 29, from where he led the negotiations of the Dominican Republic with the International Monetary Fund (IMF). At the same time, he held the presidency of the Dominican Petroleum Refinery (REFIDOMSA) and the presidency of the National Technical Forestry Commission (CONATEF)[3] from where the Jaragua national parks in Pedernales, Valle Nuevo in La Vega, El Morro de San Felipe, in Montecristi, the Sierra de Bahoruco, Loma Quitaespuelas and others were created. Other public positions held
Minister of Economy, Planning and Development;
President of the Petroleum Refinery;
President of the National Energy Commission;
President of the National Forestry Technical Commission (CONATEF);
Senator of the Republic (Monte Plata province) for four terms 1990-2006 (three times president of the Senate);
President of the Dominican Revolutionary Party (PRD);
Currently, he is the producer of the TV and radio program, Los Sabios en Z;
Director of the Dominican Institute of Industrial Technology (INDOTEC), created by the Central Bank on the recommendation of the World Bank and the IDB, to create new companies and industries and strengthen existing ones, in 1975.