Flavio Dario Espinal

His work included developing relations with a wide range of relevant agencies and institutions of the US government, including the Department of Energy, which allowed the incorporation of the DR into regional initiatives in the field of renewable energy; Department of Agriculture, which close collaboration was essential to significantly increase the level of compliance with import standards and requirements, and facilitating the country’s efforts to obtain necessary certifications such as that required for the export of meat; USAID, working on strategic impact sectors; Ex-Im Bank, highlighting the importance of adequate financing to increase trade and investment; and the Federal Aviation Agency, on withdrawing the country from category 3 list, which would allow the flight of commercial aircraft with national registration to the United States.

As one of the strategic pillars of Ambassador Espinal’s tenure in Washington, DC, security cooperation with the United States of America deepened around a new framework in which the Dominican Republic played a regional leadership role, to face together, in coordination and around the concept of shared responsibility, the fight against common threats to peace and security, by transnational organized crime, trafficking of drugs, of illegal arms, of people, terrorism, among others.

On December 28, 2018, he was proposed to the National Council of the Magistrature by the Institutional and Justice Foundation (FINJUS) to be President of the Supreme Court of Justice of the Dominican Republic. On February 28, 2019, Dr. Espinal thanked the proposal and declined to be evaluated for that position.

On August 16, 2016, el Dr. Espinal was appointed by presidential decree as Legal Advisor to the President of the Dominican Republic. In this capacity, he has participated in the decision-making processes on legal, national and international policy issues, providing assistance and support to the President of the Dominican Republic and to multiple dependencies of the Dominican government.

During his tenure, he promoted the acceptance of the jurisdiction of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights in the Dominican Republic. When the Dominican Constitutional Court annulled said jurisdiction in October 2014, he was critical of this decision and claimed the importance of the Inter-American Human Rights System.

In addition, he was one of the jurists responsible for drafting Law 169-14 promoted by the president of the Dominican Republic in response to sentence 168-13 of the Constitutional Court of 2013 which created an imminent risk on the right to nationality of descendants of foreigners born in the Dominican Republic between 1929 and 2007. By adopting this law, it was possible to protect these people and ensure recognition of rights to others. Mediante la adopción de esta ley fue posible proteger a estas personas y asegurar reconocimiento de derechos a otras.

He was a member of the Committee of Jurists appointed by the executive branch for the preparation of the draft text which served as the basis for the Constitution proclaimed by the National Congress in January 2010, as well as a member for the adaptation of national legislation to the new Constitution.

Dr. Flavio Darío Espinal served as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Dominican Republic to the government of the United States of America during the period from November 23, 2004 to March 25, 2009. He presented credentials on March 9, 2005.

He previously served as ambassador of the Dominican Republic to the Organization of American States (OAS) between 1997 and 2000 and to the government of the United States of America between 2004 and 2009.

He was appointed Ambassador, Permanent Representative of the Dominican Republic to the Organization of American States on November 22, 1996. A few days after his arrival at the OAS, he assumed the pro tempore presidency of the Permanent Council, a responsibility for which he displayed qualities of leadership that, along with his management oriented to the resolution of conflicts through inclusive dialogue, earned him the esteem of his colleagues and the appreciation of the then Secretary General César Gaviria, former president of Colombia.

Dr. Flavio Darío Espinal's background is in legal and political sciences. He holds a law degree (Summa cum laude) from Pontificia Universidad Católica Madre y Maestra PUCMM (1980) in the Dominican Republic, a master's degree in Government from Essex University (1985), in the United Kingdom, and a doctoral degree (PhD) in Government from the University of Virginia (1996), in the United States. Espinal has written widely about constitutional law issues.

Flavio Darío Espinal (born July 22, 1957 in Santiago) is a Dominican jurist, political scientist, diplomat and academic. He is currently the legal advisor to the President of the Dominican Republic.