Minou Tavárez Mirabal


Minerva Josefina Tavárez Mirabal, known by the hypocoristic Minou, is a philologist, professor and politician from the Dominican Republic. Mrs. Tavárez has served as deputy for the National District in the lower House since 2002; and served as deputy foreign minister from 1996 to 2000.
Tavárez was the presidential nominee of both the Alliance for Democracy and Democratic Choice parties for the 2016 Dominican Republic general election.

Early life and family

Minou is daughter of Dominican lawyers and activists :es:Manuel Aurelio Tavárez|Manuel Aurelio Tavárez Justo and María Argentina Minerva Mirabal, both founders in 1960 of the clandestine movement 14 June that sought the overthrow of dictator Rafael Trujillo.
Her mother was assassinated by the dictatorship on 1960, and her father was murdered by the Triumvirate that overthrew Juan Bosch’s legitimate government in 1963, becoming an orphan at the age of 7 years. Her parents are considered as martyrs and national heroes. She was raised by her aunt Dedé Mirabal, who raised the children of her assassinated sisters. Tavárez is cousin and foster sister of Jaime David Fernández Mirabal, a former vicepresident of the Dominican Republic.

Ancestors

Career

She was Vice-Chancellor of the Dominican Republic for the period 1996-2000. She was elected Representative to the National Congress for the period 2002-2006, and re-elected in subsequent periods 2006-2010 and 2010-2016. She was President of the Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the House of Representatives, and member of several other committees.