Miguel Reyes Sánchez

Miguel Reyes Sánchez was born in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, 1966. After graduating JD (Juris Doctor), Cum Laude (1988), from Pedro Henriquez Ureña National University (UNPHU), he continued his studies at Catholic University of Santo Domingo (UCSD), where he received his MSFS degree (Master of Science in Foreign Services, Diplomatic Studies and International Relations), Summa Cum Laude (2001) and at Pallas Athene European Foundation Centre, Barcelona, Spain, where he received his MSc-EUP degree (European Union Master of Science).

He also has additional specialized studies in “Privatization: organization, structure and execution” and “Banking Restructuring”, American University, Washington, D.C. (1992); “Commercial Law”, Universitary Cultural Foundation and Institute of Commercial Law of Montevideo, Uruguay (1994); “International Strategic Management for Executives of Financial Institutions”, Northern Illinois University, Dekalb, Illinois (1997) .

In 1998, he was invited by The British Council to participate in the “Latin American-Europe Conference” for young Latin American leaders, held in Madrid, Spain; Brussels, Belgium and London, England; in 1999, by the Institute of Latin American Studies of the University of Stockholm as Professor Emeritus and Guest Researcher to a magisterial conference, Stockholm, Sweden; and in 2002, by Wilton Park Conference as Professor, West Sussex, England.

In 2004 he was selected by The International Institute of Leadership Histadrut, to participate in the “Opinion Formers in a Conflict Zone Course”, held in Israel; and in 2006 he was invited by The Institute for International Studies of the People's Republic of China to participate in the “Higher Diplomatic Studies Course”, Beijing, China.

Reyes Sánchez has a long professional career and history of work with government, diplomatic services, banking and law. He has occupied important official positions, such as Assistant to the Ambassador in charge of the Executive Power Ceremonials and Presidential Protocol Office, Presidency of the Dominican Republic, 1986; Third, Second and First Secretary assigned to the Foreign Affairs Ministry, 1988; Assistant Counselor in the Office of the Legal Counsel of the Executive Power, 1989. In the Central Bank of the Dominican Republic his career has included: Assistant to the Office of the Legal Counsel, 1989; Head of the Legal/Monetary Affairs Division, 1990; Legal Counsel to the Coordinating Team for Financial Reform, 1991; Technical Coordinator of the Legal Counselor Office, 1992; Head of Protocol for the IDB Governor's Assembly, 1993; Deputy Legal Counsel of the Central Bank, 1993; Member of the Reviewing Commission for the Financial Monetary Code Project, 1993. In 1993 the Superintendency of Banks of the Dominican Republic requests that he be their Legal Counsel; Legal Counsel for PRO-COMUNIDAD, (the Dominican promotional fund for community initiatives), 1994-1995; Secretary of the Central Bank, 1995-2003. Since 2003 he has worked as Technical Ambassador of the Foreign Affairs Ministry and since 2004 also serve as Advisor of the Governor of the Central Bank.

He also served as Professor At Pedro Henriquez Ureña National University. Reyes taught International Law, Currency and Banking Law Systems, Banking Contracts among others, becoming Director of the School of Banking and Insurance (1996). Professor at Catholic University of Santo Domingo (UCSD) where he teaches international law.

Reyes Sanchez also is a Professor of International Relations at the Dominican Republic Diplomatic and Consular Academy and several Dominican militaries Academies: IMES, IMESA and IAEDESEN.

Reyes Sánchez is also a writer and poet and has published several books.

Bruno Rosario Candelier, a Dominican Literary Critic, and the Dominican Republic Language Academy President, has called Reyes Sánchez: “the Dominican Writer with the most international connections” because of the numerous conversations Reyes Sánchez has had with the most important modern writers, including José Saramago, Vaclal Havel, Mario Vargas Llosa, Gabriel García Márquez, Octavio Paz, Mario Benedetti, Augusto Roa Bastos, Jorge Amado, Abel Posse, Ana María Matute, Wole Soyinka, and many more. Many of these conversations were recorded in Reyes Sánchez’s book, Memoria de la Palabra (Memory of the Word).

“To write as Miguel Reyes Sánchez writes is gratifying. He touches upon intricate topics and does so with caution, with respect for ideas. He defends particular concepts and does it in a way that enriches us, because he does not aspire to dispossess us of our own ideas, but rather to share them, in the knowledge that truth does not exclude, and that together we can favor the values of sensibility, of solidarity, of friendship, of the search for a better nation, and elevate the capacity to allow talent and culture to flourish through prose to the category of permanent rank in the human condition”, said Tony Raful, Dominican Republic Poet and Ex- Minister of Culture.

Jose Rafael Lantigua, Former Minister of Culture of the Dominican Republic has the opinion that "Miguel Reyes Sanchez is a young writer who has blazed a path with very assured steps and with the certainty that he makes a difficult transit requiring prudence, boldness, and talent. He has created his own world of relationships with literary expressions and has been constant in the maturing of that expression and in the search for a path to open the talents that his vocation projects".

In the literary realm he has published the following books:

Siluetas de Recuerdos (Silhouettes of Remembrance) 1986, published as part of the Dominican National Library’s Orpheus Collection.

En el Jardín de la Soledad (In the Garden of Solitude) 1988, from which his book, the poem “Alfonsina”, was selected as part of a Contemporary Literary Anthology of young Hispanic writers, compiled by the “Generation of ‘27 Cultural Center”, one of Spain’s important literary entities.

En el Laberinto de la Palabra (In the Labyrinth of Words, Historical Sketch of Central American Realities) 1992. Retrospective history of Central America (1492-1992): Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua and Costa Rica, the five countries were ruled together by the Captaincy of Guatemala until their independence. This book is a reference text in several national and international universities.

Memoria de la Palabra (Memory of the Word) 1995, a book which collects his encounters with some of the most important contemporary writers.

Estudios Jurídicos Bancarios (Studies in Banking Law) 1995, a detailed study of numerous issues of Dominican banking law, including important aspects of the Monetary and Financial Code.

Travesías de un Navegante (Journeys of a Traveler) 1996, was chosen as the first book by a Dominican author to be placed in circulation at the Art Gallery of the Interamerican Development Bank (I.D.B.), Washington, D.C. This book is meant to provide an accessible introduction to the analysis of international literary texts and political, economy and social Dominican situation.

Desafíos de Fin de Siglo (Challenges of Century’s End) 1997, a treatise on the global agenda at the end of the twentieth century. This book is a concise and very readable book that assists the reader in understanding the ‘new world order’ and its impact on society.

Paradigmas de la Razón (Paradigms of Reason) 1998, a treatise on postmodernism and the links between mankind and technological change. This book is a rubric for generating questions about possible intersections of literary and technological change in the late twentieth century. To the extent that they can be mapped, these intersections are themselves traces of a basic social and cultural shift that has been recognized across a range of discourses and conditions: ontologically, as a shift from atomic to digital states or forms; economically, as a shift from industrial to information-based modes of production; institutionally, as a shift from autonomous to networked infrastructures; narratively, as a shift from linear to non-linear conventions and practices; and textually, as a shift from the printed to the electronic word. Each of these shifts is also, of course, a variation on the now familiar theme of the postmodern.

Autonomía Legal de los Bancos Centrales (Legal Autonomy of the Central Bank) 1999, Translated into English, is a detailed study about the autonomy of Latin American central banks. Discusses the inception of central banking and the concept of central bank autonomy. Reyes Sánchez then discusses the degree of legal autonomy found in central banks in 17 Latin American countries.

América Latina en el umbral del nuevo milenio y perspectivas actuales de la República Dominicana (Latin American on the threshold of the new millennium and present perspectives for the Dominican Republic) 1999. Magisterial Conference in the Institute of Latin American Studies (LAIS), Stockholm University.

La Creación Literaria en el Siglo XX (Literature Creation in the twentieth Century) 2000. Debates on the nature of literary discourse in the 2Oth century with emphasis on the practice of comparative. Presents a broad selection of the most important authors of the past century with biographical background information and bibliographical material, includes the major aspects of the literary movements. It is unique in its genre,- no other reference work on modern literature embraces such a detailed scientific approach and includes such a huge number of world authors, material and information on their lives and their literary production.

Reformas del Consejo de Seguridad de las Naciones Unidas (United Nations Security Council Reform) 2002. A book, which looks the different aspects and proposal on the question of equitable representation on and increase in the membership of the Security Council and other matters related to the Security Council. Discusses the position of various delegations about making the Council's working methods and procedures more open and transparent, on the veto, and on the issue of the enlargement. Reyes Sánchez feels that the goal of Security Council reform should be to make the Council less elitist and more democratic, participatory and representative. The goal should be not to reward a handful of countries with new privileges, but to identify solutions that give all Member States greater access to the Council.

Los Tratados Internacionales (International Treaties) 2002. A brief overview of the life cycle of a treaty. Discusses the most important general aspects over treaties. A study of the different aspects and kind of treaties with two or more parties, signed at a conference or gathering of nations negotiating a treaty. Explain the issues after it’s signing by and show how the treaty must be ratified since, in most jurisdictions, signature does not equal ratification. When a country has ratified the treaty it is considered as party to the treaty and legally bound by the terms of the treaty and the required implementing legislation in order to become domestically effective.

Régimen Jurídico de los Agentes Diplomáticos y Consulares (Legal Regime of Diplomatic and Consular Agents) 2002. Studies the privileges and immunities of diplomatic and consular missions and their respective personnel. Studies the principles of international law which had been observed for grant to ensure that diplomatic and consular functions be exercised without hindrance in order to facilitate normal exchanges between States over a wide range of subjects. Analyzes the legal regime on protection, security and safety of diplomatic and consular missions and the Vienna Conventions on diplomatic and consular relations as well as the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of Crimes against Internationally Protected Persons, including Diplomatic Agents to become Parties of relevant international instruments as soon as possible.

Cumbres Iberoamericanas de Jefes de Estado y de Gobierno (Iberoamerican Meeting of Heads of Government and Chiefs of State) 2002. This publication current thought and pertinent history analysis relative on Iberoamerican Meeting of Heads of Government and Chiefs of State issues and challenges. The book cover a wide range of themes, including: good governance; the environment; human potential; powering for growth; financing for development; networking for development. The book aims to strengthen cooperation between government and business, and contribute to achieving the Millennium Development Goals.

Sombreros para un Viajero. (Traveler Hats) 2004. The conceit in this book is the idea that all of you are traveler of one sort or another. Is a collection of articles with a conceptual experimentalism and become free to travel in the human depths and actions.

Señales para una Transición. Agenda de Desarrollo. (Transition Signs. Development Agenda) 2006. This book is a collection of essays and articles on the greatest points to national and international contemporary agenda. It goes on to discuss what indicators of change will be most useful in monitoring a transition to renew the nation’s commitment.

His books are found in the most prestigious libraries of the world. Many of his books were selected, as part of the Handbook of Latin American Studies (HLAS) of the Library of Congress of the United States of America, as part of the Benson Latin American Collection of the University of Texas, the Smatters Latin American Collection of the University of Florida, Latin American and Caribbean Library of the University of Illinois at Urbana – Champaign, the Eduardo Lozano Latin American Collection of the University of Pittsburgh, among others.

In 1993, the Spanish Ministry for Social Affairs, National Institute of Youth (INJUVE) and Euro-Latin-American Center of Youth (CEULAJ) selected him as the only writer to represent the Dominican Republic and participate in the Young Literature and Commitment Forum in the City of Molliga, Málaga, Spain. In 1994, he participated in Glass Ceiling IV, Blood and Letters, at the Royal National Theatre London, England.

In 1996, Reyes Sánchez was selected The Outstanding Young Person of the Dominican Republic (Jaycees 72). In 1997 he was admitted as a “Member of the Association Internationale des Critiques Litteraires”, headquartered in Paris, France. On March 11, 1998 he was appointed “Member of the Société Européene de Culture” (Venice, Italy), the first Caribbean writer to achieve this recognition.

In 1998 the Junior Chamber International selected him as The Outstanding Young Person of the World (TOYP), in a ceremony celebrated in Manila, Philippines, being the first Dominican citizen to have achieved such distinction. .

On July 27, 2000, the Legislative Chamber of the Dominican Republic adopted a resolution, with the unanimous vote in favor of all the legislators of the different national political parties, declaring Reyes Sánchez: "Exemplar Artist of Dominican Literature".

On April 16, 2001, the President of the Dominican Republic by means of decree No. 457-01, granted him “Commander” in the National Decoration “Order of Merit of Duarte, Sanchez, and Mella” and on October 13, 2003, by means decree No. 997-03, has elevated the decoration to the Grade of “Grand Cross with Silver Plaque”.

Reyes Sánchez has been chosen as Judge of The Outstanding Young Persons of the World (TOYP), Junior Chamber International (JCI), 2002.

On May 14, 2005, The United Nations Association of the Dominican Republic (UNA-DR) selected him as “Good Will Ambassador”.

In 2006, he was awarded the “Silver Supreme Circle” by Jaycees 72, for maintenance actions and efforts, more than ten years, which have made significant contributions to development of Dominican Republic society.

Because the Dominican Republic is still a developing nation, where few writers are able to have their books published, his outstanding literary works have helped the Dominican Republic and the Spanish speaking Caribbean become better known in far-away lands.

He has received other important international awards and honors, including Honorable Mention, Fray Francisco de Vitoria International Law Prize, San Juan, Puerto Rico, 1986; Seykio Cultural Award of The Soka Gakkai International, Tokyo, Japan, 1987; Distinguished Guest, World Trade Center of Taipei, Taiwan, 1988. His biography was selected as part of the international edition of the encyclopedia "Who's Who in Global Banking and Finance” (2000-2001).

Newspaper columnist for "El Siglo" (1986-2001). Reyes Sanchez is presently a columnist for “El Caribe” and he is also Producer of the following TV Programs: “Senderos del Mundo” and “Agenda Compartida”.

Member of the Dominican Bar Association; Dominican Bar of Notary Public; Interamerican Bar Association headquartered in Washington D.C.; Union Internationale des Avocats headquartered in Paris and The Shalom Institute.