Rafael Alburquerque

Rafael Francisco Alburquerque de Castro (born June 14, 1940) is a Dominican politician who was Vice President of the Dominican Republic from August 2004 to August 2012, serving under President Leonel Fernández. Along with Fernández, he was re-elected in May 2008 for a four-year term.

Alburquerque was born in Santo Domingo on 14 June 1940, the eldest son of Lic. Rafael Alburquerque Zayas-Bazán. He serves as Coordinator of the Social security System and the Social Cabinet of the Dominican government. He was chosen by the President Leonel Fernández Reyna as his ballot companion for his second consecutive presidential term, by the Dominican Liberation Party (PLD).

Alburquerque served as Secretary of Labour and president of the Delegation of the Dominican State to the Conferences of the International Labour Organization (ILO) from 1991 to 2000. He was also President of the Commission of Technical Cooperation in the Conference of the ILO in 1999. From September 2000 to June 2001 he was the Special Representative of the General Director of the ILO for the collaboration with Colombia and Member of the Commission of Experts of the ILO since November 2001. Alburquerque is a lawyer with a PhD in Labour Law.

He is the author of several books:

• Legislación del Trabajo (1985)
• Los Conflictos del Trabajo y su solución en la República Dominicana (1987)
• Estudios del derecho del Trabajo (1992), with prologue by Rafael Caldera, twice president of Venezuela
• Derecho Administrativo Laboral y Administrativo del Trabajo (1993)
• Derecho del Trabajo (Volume I - 1995 y 2003; Volume II - 1997; Volume III - 1999)
• Guía de los derechos de los trabajadores (1995, with eight editions)
• Los conflictos de las leyes del trabajo en el espacio (1998)
• La subordinación jurídica en la era digital (2002).