José del Castillo Saviñón

José Manuel del Castillo Saviñón (born 1 March 1975) is a Dominican lawyer and politician and is the current Minister of Industry and Commerce of the Dominican Republic. He is the one of the youngest Ministers in Dominican political history. He was the Financial Coordinator of the presidential campaign of Danilo Medina and acted as his unofficial representative in the south of the Dominican Republic.
He was formerly Vice-Minister of Industry and Commerce of the Dominican Republic in the area of hydrocarbons during the government of Leonel Fernández.

Personal life

José Manuel del Castillo Saviñón was born in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, on 1 March 1975. He is the elder son of the sociologist, historian, intellectual and former director of the "Museum of Dominican Man", José del Castillo Pichardo, and the scientist Hilda Saviñón Guerra.

He completed his primary education at the "Colegio Dominicano de la Salle", graduating as a Bachelor of Science and Letters. in 1992. He immediately started to study Legal Science at the Pontificia Universidad Católica Madre y Maestra, graduating in 1996, and later enrolling for a Master's Degree in Economic Law and Business Law.

In 1996 he produced his thesis, "The Dominican Republic at the World Trade Organization". Soon after, the government sought his advice on industry and trade. In 2003 he succeeded Servio Tulio Castaños as Legal Consultant to the Senate of the Dominican Republic and later was a consultant to the Committee on Industry and Trade of the Dominican Senate.

Much of his career has been devoted to the private sector; his company, "Gabinete Economico, S. A" has provided legal and business advice for more than 12 years to various prestigious national and international companies.

Del Castillo has also hosted various television programs, such as "Economía al Día", "Mundo económico (sección del programa Metrópolis)", "La Revista Económica", "Gabinete Económico" and "Economía y Negocios".

Political life

Del Castillo began work as a secretary in the presidential campaign of Danilo Medina in 2006, through his friend and current Minister of Public Works and Communications Gonzalo Castillo. He later worked as Financial Coordinator of the Campaign of Danilo Medina and also became his representative in the southwest of the country through the "External Sector with Danilo".

On 15 March 2011 then-President Leonel Fernández, with Manuel Garcia Arevalo, appointed him as Deputy Minister of Industry and Commerce in the area of Hydrocarbons and Mining, a position he held until 16 August 2012, when he was appointed Minister of Industry and Trade when the current president Danilo Medina took office. Today he is one of the key figures in the cabinet of Danilo Medina and the youngest first-class officer in the cabinet.

In his work as Minister for Industry and Commerce, Del Castillo has emphasized the roles of small and medium enterprises, mining, natural gas and non-conventional energy.

Among his more controversial statements was his suggestion that Dominicans of lower incomes hit by the economic recession replace chicken as the main protein source in their diet with dye flour (also known as Salami).

Barahona

Jose del Castillo has continued to work actively in Barahona, devoting spare time to helping the inhabitants of that province through his Foundation "Jose del Castillo Saviñón". Jose del Castillo has resided in the province for several years, and there are rumors he wants to become a candidate for Senator of the province of Barahona in the 2016 elections.