Considering the small size and economy of the Dominican Republic, it has been tough for people to excel in professional field and make their presence felt all over the world. The country has produced some of the best sport persons and musicians. Let us know some of the famous people from this Caribbean country.
Juan Pablo Duarte
Juan Pablo was a liberal leader of the famous La Trinitaria, along with Francisco del Rosario Sanchez and Ramon Matias Mella. These people are considered as national heroes, as they helped the Dominican Republic achieve independence from Haiti in 1844. Juan Pablo is considered as the architect of the Dominican Republic.
Rafael Trujillo
Rafael Leonidas Trujillo Molina was a famous military dictator, who ruled the Dominican Republic from 1942 to 1952. He was also the official president of the country from 1930 to 1938. His totalism known as, 'The Trujillo Era', is referred to as, one of the bloodiest in the 20th century.
Mariasela Alvarez Lebron
Mariasela Lebron was the first Dominican woman to win the Miss World contest in 1982. She became a noted television personality, with the successful run of her award-winning show, Esta Noche Mariasela. A mother of four, Mariasela lives in Spain.
Pedro Mir
Pedro Julio Mir Valentin was a poet and writer. His only novel, When They Loved the Communal Land, was highly appreciated not only in the country, but all over the world. In 1984, the Dominican Congress named him, Poet Laureate of the Dominican Republic. Pedro Mir was also awarded the Dominican National Literature Award for his lifetime achievements in 1993.
Milly Quezada
Milagros Quezada Borbon (better known as Milly Quezada), is considered as the queen of merengue music in the Dominican Republic and USA. She received the Latin Grammy awards for her albums, Pienso asi and MQ.
Santiago Rodriguez
Santiago Luis Polanco Rodriguez was considered as one of the richest Dominican drug kingpins in the United States. He was the first to distribute crack cocaine in mass quantity in the country. Santiago Rodriguez organized Dominican, Jamaican and American street drug dealers into an empire. He has retired from his life of crime, and lives in the Dominican Republic.
Oscar de la Renta
Oscar de la Renta was born in the Dominican Republic but, at present he is an American citizen. A leading fashion designer, Oscar has won many awards which includes CFDA Lifetime Achievement Award in 1990, and CFDA Womenswear Designer of the Year in 2000.
Junot Diaz
He is a famous novelist and a professor at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). His best-known works include, Drawn (1996) and The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao (2007), for which he won the prestigious Pulitzer Prize for fiction. The New Yorker magazine included him in the list of 20 top writers of the 21st century.
Juan Luis Guerra
One of most of the most recognized international faces of the country, Juan Guerra has won 11 Grammy and Latin Grammy awards, and two Latin Billboard Music awards. He has sold over 20 million records and is known for his merengue, bolero, and Latin fusion pop style.
Felix Sanchez
An athlete by profession, he won the first ever gold medal for the Dominican Republic in 400 meters hurdles, during the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens. Born in the United States, Felix has competed for the Dominican Republic since 1999, because his parents were from that country. Felix Sanchez is also known as Super Felix, Invincible and the Dictator.
Amelia Vega
Amelia Victoria Vega Polanco was crowned Miss Universe in 2003, the first Dominican woman to achieve this feat. She also won the National Costume competition, and is the third among Miss Universe winners to do so.
Dania Ramirez
Dania Ramirez is a television star. She has acted in Heroes, and the award winning television series, The Sopranos. She has appeared in many music videos, and won critical appraise for her role as, Callisto in X-Men: The Last Stand.
Alexandra Cheron
Alexandra Cheron is a successful Hollywood actress and model. One of the richest persons of Latin origin, she has acted in movies like, Miami Vice (2006) and the recently released Fast and Furious 4 (2009).
Alex Rodriguez
Nicknamed as A-Rod, he is a professional baseball player. Considered as one of the best baseball players of all time, A-Rod plays for New York Yankees, of Major League Baseball. He holds the record of hitting 500 home runs at the youngest age. In 2007, Rodriguez and Yankees signed a 10 years contract for $275 million, which is the richest contract in baseball history.
Making an exhaustive list of famous people from the Dominican Republic is not possible. Sports is an area in which Dominicans excel. There are famous sport persons like, Carlos Cruz (World Lightweight Boxing Champion), Joan Guzman, Leo Cruz, Sammy Sosa, etc. Baseball is the national game of the country, and Dominican baseball players dominate the game all over the US.
Juan Pablo Duarte
Juan Pablo was a liberal leader of the famous La Trinitaria, along with Francisco del Rosario Sanchez and Ramon Matias Mella. These people are considered as national heroes, as they helped the Dominican Republic achieve independence from Haiti in 1844. Juan Pablo is considered as the architect of the Dominican Republic.
Rafael Trujillo
Rafael Leonidas Trujillo Molina was a famous military dictator, who ruled the Dominican Republic from 1942 to 1952. He was also the official president of the country from 1930 to 1938. His totalism known as, 'The Trujillo Era', is referred to as, one of the bloodiest in the 20th century.
Mariasela Alvarez Lebron
Mariasela Lebron was the first Dominican woman to win the Miss World contest in 1982. She became a noted television personality, with the successful run of her award-winning show, Esta Noche Mariasela. A mother of four, Mariasela lives in Spain.
Pedro Mir
Pedro Julio Mir Valentin was a poet and writer. His only novel, When They Loved the Communal Land, was highly appreciated not only in the country, but all over the world. In 1984, the Dominican Congress named him, Poet Laureate of the Dominican Republic. Pedro Mir was also awarded the Dominican National Literature Award for his lifetime achievements in 1993.
Milly Quezada
Milagros Quezada Borbon (better known as Milly Quezada), is considered as the queen of merengue music in the Dominican Republic and USA. She received the Latin Grammy awards for her albums, Pienso asi and MQ.
Santiago Rodriguez
Santiago Luis Polanco Rodriguez was considered as one of the richest Dominican drug kingpins in the United States. He was the first to distribute crack cocaine in mass quantity in the country. Santiago Rodriguez organized Dominican, Jamaican and American street drug dealers into an empire. He has retired from his life of crime, and lives in the Dominican Republic.
Oscar de la Renta
Oscar de la Renta was born in the Dominican Republic but, at present he is an American citizen. A leading fashion designer, Oscar has won many awards which includes CFDA Lifetime Achievement Award in 1990, and CFDA Womenswear Designer of the Year in 2000.
Junot Diaz
He is a famous novelist and a professor at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). His best-known works include, Drawn (1996) and The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao (2007), for which he won the prestigious Pulitzer Prize for fiction. The New Yorker magazine included him in the list of 20 top writers of the 21st century.
Juan Luis Guerra
One of most of the most recognized international faces of the country, Juan Guerra has won 11 Grammy and Latin Grammy awards, and two Latin Billboard Music awards. He has sold over 20 million records and is known for his merengue, bolero, and Latin fusion pop style.
Felix Sanchez
An athlete by profession, he won the first ever gold medal for the Dominican Republic in 400 meters hurdles, during the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens. Born in the United States, Felix has competed for the Dominican Republic since 1999, because his parents were from that country. Felix Sanchez is also known as Super Felix, Invincible and the Dictator.
Amelia Vega
Amelia Victoria Vega Polanco was crowned Miss Universe in 2003, the first Dominican woman to achieve this feat. She also won the National Costume competition, and is the third among Miss Universe winners to do so.
Dania Ramirez
Dania Ramirez is a television star. She has acted in Heroes, and the award winning television series, The Sopranos. She has appeared in many music videos, and won critical appraise for her role as, Callisto in X-Men: The Last Stand.
Alexandra Cheron
Alexandra Cheron is a successful Hollywood actress and model. One of the richest persons of Latin origin, she has acted in movies like, Miami Vice (2006) and the recently released Fast and Furious 4 (2009).
Alex Rodriguez
Nicknamed as A-Rod, he is a professional baseball player. Considered as one of the best baseball players of all time, A-Rod plays for New York Yankees, of Major League Baseball. He holds the record of hitting 500 home runs at the youngest age. In 2007, Rodriguez and Yankees signed a 10 years contract for $275 million, which is the richest contract in baseball history.
Making an exhaustive list of famous people from the Dominican Republic is not possible. Sports is an area in which Dominicans excel. There are famous sport persons like, Carlos Cruz (World Lightweight Boxing Champion), Joan Guzman, Leo Cruz, Sammy Sosa, etc. Baseball is the national game of the country, and Dominican baseball players dominate the game all over the US.
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