President Leonel Fernández and First Lady Margarita Cedeño de Fernández oversaw the launching of Manuel Tapia Brea’s book of stories, “International Focus 1966-1970” a collection of the journalist’s stories from that period.

Bolívar Tapia, in the name of his family, thanked President Fernández for having written the prologue of his father’s book which is a collection of the journalist’s stories he wrote for Ahora magazine.

In keeping with Decree 104-08, President Fernández gave the writer’s son, Bolívar Tapia, the Order of Duarte, Sánchez and Mella, Rank of Commander, in a posthumous homage to his father.  Bolívar Tapia is an administrative secretary in the President’s office.

President Fernández, who wrote the prologue of the book, highlighted Tapia Brea’s qualities: his commitment to democracy and respect for human rights, non-intervention, self-determination, multilateralism and the strict application of international law.

Bolívar Tapia, in the name of his family, thanked President Fernández for having written the prologue of his father’s book which is a collection of the journalist’s stories he wrote for Ahora magazine. He also thanked the President for the award in his father’s memory, the highest honor in the Dominican Republic, according to a press release from the President’s Office of Information, Press and Publicity.

The ceremony took place in the auditorium of the Eduardo Latorre Diplomatic School of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The presentation of the book was done by the Mexican Ambassador to the DR, Pablo Maríñez, who noted that “International Focus” has made Tapia Brea a model for international political analysis among its readers and writers.

Former Ahora  director and currently director of El Día,  Rafael Molina Morillo, said Tapia Brea gave the best years of his working life to the magazine. He said the analyses in this book will shed light on nations such as Vietnam, Puerto Rico, the United States, China and the Dominican Republic, among others.

Also present at the ceremony were Luis Manuel Bonetti, administrative secretary in the President’s office; José Manuel Trujols, deputy secretary of the Foreign Ministry, government officials, journalists and family members of Manuel Tapia Brea.