{"id":467587,"date":"2025-05-09T12:39:15","date_gmt":"2025-05-09T16:39:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/deultimominuto.net\/en\/uncategorized\/hipolito-mejia-biography-of-the-dominican-ex-president-2000-2004-known-as-papa\/"},"modified":"2025-05-09T12:42:10","modified_gmt":"2025-05-09T16:42:10","slug":"hipolito-mejia-biography-of-the-dominican-ex-president-2000-2004-known-as-papa","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/deultimominuto.com\/en\/history\/biographies\/hipolito-mejia-biography-of-the-dominican-ex-president-2000-2004-known-as-papa\/","title":{"rendered":"Hip\u00f3lito Mej\u00eda: biography of the Dominican ex-president 2000-2004, known as \u201cPap\u00e1\u201d"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Rafael Hip\u00f3lito Mej\u00eda Dom\u00ednguez<\/strong>, popularly known as <strong>Hip\u00f3lito Mej\u00eda<\/strong>, was born on <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/ab.deultimominuto.net\/estilo\/efemerides\/efemerides-del-22-de-febrero\/\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/ab.deultimominuto.net\/estilo\/efemerides\/efemerides-del-22-de-febrero\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">February 22<\/a> of 1941<\/strong> in <strong>Santiago de los Caballeros<\/strong>, Dominican Republic. He is a politician, agronomist, and businessman who served as <strong>President of the Dominican Republic<\/strong> between <strong>2000 and 2004<\/strong>, being the 64th head of state of the country. His direct style, popular charisma, and famous phrases earned him the nickname &#8220;Pap\u00e1&#8221;, with which he is identified throughout the national territory.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Origins and Academic Background of Hip\u00f3lito Mej\u00eda<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Mej\u00eda grew up in the rural area of <strong>La Chichigua<\/strong>, in the municipal district of Gurabo, Santiago, an agricultural community that marked his identity as a <strong>man of the countryside<\/strong>. Son of <strong>Mar\u00eda Josefa \u201cMarina\u201d Dom\u00ednguez Vi\u00f1als<\/strong> and <strong>Hip\u00f3lito de Jes\u00fas \u201cPol\u00edn\u201d Mej\u00eda D\u00edaz<\/strong>, from an early age he was linked to agricultural work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He studied at the <strong>Instituto Superior de Agricultura (ISA)<\/strong>, where he graduated as an agricultural engineer. Subsequently, he specialized in areas related to <strong>agronomy and rural development<\/strong> in the United States, including courses at the University of North Carolina and Mississippi State University.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Beginnings in public life<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">During the government of <strong>Antonio Guzm\u00e1n Fern\u00e1ndez<\/strong>, he was appointed as <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/agricultura.gob.do\/\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/agricultura.gob.do\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Secretary of Agriculture<\/a><\/strong> (1978-1982), where he promoted programs to support the peasantry and modernize crops. He also played a relevant role in international organizations such as the <strong>Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA)<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He was elected <strong>deputy to the National Congress<\/strong> in 1982, although his legislative career was brief. During the following years he consolidated himself as an agricultural entrepreneur, focusing on the distribution of high-yield seeds and technologies for the agricultural sector.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Presidencia (2000-2004)<\/h3>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignleft size-full is-resized\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/ab.deultimominuto.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/Hipolito-Mejia-en-su-toma-de-posesion-el-16-de-agosto-del-ano-2000.jpg\" alt=\"Hip\u00f3lito Mej\u00eda fue presidente de la Rep\u00fablica Dominicana desde agosto del 2020 al 2024\" class=\"wp-image-473725\" style=\"width:192px;height:auto\" title=\"\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Hip\u00f3lito Mej\u00eda fue presidente de la Rep\u00fablica Dominicana desde agosto del 2020 al 2024<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Hip\u00f3lito Mej\u00eda won the presidential elections of the year 2000 under the <strong>Dominican Revolutionary Party (PRD)<\/strong>, becoming the first president elected under the new rule of <strong>\u201c50 plus 1\u201d<\/strong> to win in the first round. His victory marked the end of eight consecutive years of government by the Dominican Liberation Party (PLD).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Main achievements of his government:<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Social security system reform<\/strong>: established the first contributory pension and health system.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Approval of the Monetary and Financial Code<\/strong>, and the <strong>Anti-Money Laundering Law<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Promoted programs for <strong>affordable housing<\/strong> and <strong>rural education<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Successfully held the <strong>2003 Santo Domingo Pan American Games<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Expanded access to credit for agricultural producers.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Implemented the <strong>1.5% check tax<\/strong>, with the aim of strengthening tax collection.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Committed to decentralized development, bringing resources to communities far from large cities.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">La crisis bancaria de 2003<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In the middle of his term, the country was shaken by the <strong>Intercontinental Bank (Baninter) fraud<\/strong>, one of the biggest financial scandals in national history. The crisis caused the <strong>capital flight<\/strong>, the <strong>accelerated devaluation of the Dominican peso<\/strong>, uncontrolled inflation and a marked <strong>increase in poverty<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Although the government responded with emergency measures\u2014including the issuance of <strong>sovereign bonds for one billion dollars<\/strong>\u2014, public perception turned unfavorable. The president&#8217;s approval ratings fell drastically.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Attempts at re-election and political return<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In 2002, his government promoted a <strong>constitutional reform<\/strong> that re-established immediate presidential re-election. Hip\u00f3lito ran again in the 2004 elections, but was defeated by <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/ab.deultimominuto.net\/historia\/biografias\/leonel-fernandez\/\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/ab.deultimominuto.net\/historia\/biografias\/leonel-fernandez\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Leonel Fern\u00e1ndez<\/a><\/strong>, who capitalized on popular discontent after the economic crisis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Later, in 2012, Mej\u00eda ran again as a presidential candidate for the PRD, facing the then-incumbent <strong>Danilo Medina<\/strong>, who won the elections. This defeat deepened the division in the PRD, leading later to the founding of the <strong>Modern Revolutionary Party (PRM)<\/strong>, in which Mej\u00eda has also had an active role.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Family and Business Life<\/h3>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright size-full is-resized\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/ab.deultimominuto.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/image-26-2.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-129181\" style=\"width:424px;height:auto\" title=\"\"><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Hip\u00f3lito Mej\u00eda was married for more than five decades to <strong>Rosa G\u00f3mez de Mej\u00eda<\/strong>, who was First Lady during his administration and passed away on <strong>March 21, 2022<\/strong>. They had four children: <strong>Carolina<\/strong>, <strong>Lissa<\/strong>, <strong>Felipe<\/strong>, and <strong>Ram\u00f3n Hip\u00f3lito<\/strong>. Carolina Mej\u00eda is a prominent political figure and current mayor of the National District.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In the private sphere, Mej\u00eda has been a <strong>successful entrepreneur in the agro-industrial sector<\/strong>, focusing on the distribution of certified seeds, agrochemicals, and technical assistance for small and medium-sized producers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Personal style and political legacy<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Hip\u00f3lito Mej\u00eda is known for his <strong>folksy style<\/strong>, spontaneous and, at times, controversial. His direct way of speaking, his contagious laughter, and his simple way of interacting with people made him a beloved figure for many Dominicans, while others considered him undiplomatic for holding the presidency.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/ab.deultimominuto.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/image-26-4.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-129183\" title=\"\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Phrases like <em>&#8220;Mam\u00e1 Belica&#8217;s dog&#8221;<\/em>, <em>&#8220;I&#8217;m going to grab him by the pichirr\u00ed&#8221;<\/em>, and <em>&#8220;Pinocchio who is a real boy&#8221;<\/em>, are part of the collective imagination and are grouped under the term <strong>\u201chipolitadas\u201d<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">His confrontations with journalists and his popular language marked controversial moments, such as the remembered interview with the journalist <strong>Jorge Ramos<\/strong>, where he defended his direct style: \u201cI say things as they are.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">After leaving power, Mej\u00eda has been a guest lecturer and has participated in forums on agriculture, governance, and democracy in Latin America. Although his political exposure has decreased in recent years, he remains a <strong>influential figure on the national stage<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Former Presidents of the Dominican Republic<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><br><a href=\"https:\/\/ab.deultimominuto.net\/historia\/biografias\/leonel-fernandez\/\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/ab.deultimominuto.net\/historia\/biografias\/leonel-fernandez\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Leonel Fern\u00e1ndez<\/a> 1996-2000, 2004-2008, 2008-2012<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/ab.deultimominuto.net\/historia\/biografias\/danilo-medina\/\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/ab.deultimominuto.net\/historia\/biografias\/danilo-medina\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Danilo Medina<\/a> 2012-2016, 2016-2020<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/ab.deultimominuto.net\/estilo\/quien-fue-rafael-leonidas-trujillo\/\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/ab.deultimominuto.net\/estilo\/quien-fue-rafael-leonidas-trujillo\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Rafael Le\u00f3nidas Trujillo<\/a> 1930-1961<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Rafael Hip\u00f3lito Mej\u00eda Dom\u00ednguez, popularly known as Hip\u00f3lito Mej\u00eda, was born on February 22 of 1941 in Santiago de los Caballeros, Dominican Republic. He is a politician, agronomist, and businessman who served as President of the Dominican Republic between 2000 and 2004, being the 64th head of state of the country. His direct style, popular [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":467588,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","_members_access_role":[],"_members_access_error":""},"categories":[16047],"tags":[40304,15381],"class_list":["post-467587","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-biographies","tag-biography","tag-hipolito-mejia"],"acf":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/phj1q1-1XDJ","jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/deultimominuto.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/05\/Hipolito-Mejia.jpg","dum_api":{"author_name":"Redacci\u00f3n De \u00daltimo Minuto","author_image":"https:\/\/deultimominuto.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/cropped-logo-de-ultimo-minuto-96x96.png","categories_name":["Biographies"],"featured_media_url":"https:\/\/cdn.deultimominuto.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/05\/Hipolito-Mejia.jpg"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/deultimominuto.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/467587","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/deultimominuto.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/deultimominuto.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/deultimominuto.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/deultimominuto.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=467587"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/deultimominuto.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/467587\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/deultimominuto.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/467588"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/deultimominuto.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=467587"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/deultimominuto.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=467587"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/deultimominuto.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=467587"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}