Dominican President Luis Abinader has appointed Kenia Xiomara Guante Valdez as the new director of the early childhood agency Inaipi and named Josefa Aquilina Castillo Rodríguez as consul general in Miami.
The appointments were announced by the Presidency on August 16, 2026, under Executive Decree 553-26 as part of an ongoing administrative reorganization across government institutions.
Castillo Rodríguez, who previously served as the director of the child services agency, will assume leadership of the Dominican consulate in Miami, Florida. The diplomatic post represents one of the nation's key consular offices due to the large Dominican community residing in the city.
Leadership change at Inaipi
Guante Valdez takes over as director of the National Institute for Comprehensive Early Childhood Care, known as Inaipi. The state entity is responsible for coordinating and providing comprehensive care services to children during their early years of life.
At the time of her appointment, Guante Valdez served as Vice Minister of Innovation, Transparency and Citizen Services within the Administrative Ministry of the Presidency.
She is a professional educator with more than 40 years of experience. She previously served as president of the Dominican Teachers Association, the primary trade union representing public school teachers in the Dominican Republic, and as a deputy to the Central American Parliament, the regional parliamentary assembly for Central American nations.
New director at National Migration Institute
Under the same executive decree, President Abinader appointed José Benedicto Hernández Tejada as the new executive director of the National Migration Institute.
The National Migration Institute is the Dominican state body dedicated to the study, research, and formulation of national migration policy proposals.
Hernández Tejada is a former parliamentary deputy who served for over 15 years as deputy director of the National Council of Free Zones. He also worked as a free zone advisor to the General Directorate of Customs between 2016 and 2020.
Wider administrative reorganization
Executive Decree 553-26 also repeals several articles contained in previous administrative decrees issued in 2020, 2024, and 2025.
The latest shuffle forms part of a broader series of government appointments announced by the Executive Branch on August 16, 2026, aimed at reorganizing state administration.
In a related appointment, President Abinader also named Juan Manuel Méndez to lead the National Institute of Transit and Land Transportation, known as Intrant.
