At the beginning of the conversation, one of the first words that comes out of the mouth of our interviewee is “excellent”. This is how he defines the professional moment in which he is currently.

“When I graduated, I asked life as an engineer to let me build two little houses a year and have a little truck, a top and a compactor. Now we have a fleet of vehicles and we build two hotels per year. Life has multiplied by thousands my desire as a young man”.

“In my position I deal with many different issues; from meetings to budgets, quotes, accounting, insurance, human resources, social responsibility, advertising, etc. It is a very interesting job and not boring at all. Every day is a new adventure. A new opportunity, a new beginning.”

Hugo Pérez has a critical and expert view of his area, which makes him a first-hand observer when it comes to seeing how Santo Domingo is doing urbanistically speaking. That is why he does not hesitate when he tells us that “as a builder I am proud of the number of modern buildings that are being built right now in Santo Domingo. Our city is on the way to becoming more modern and avant-garde every day in terms of architectural designs”. “We walk towards a certain future. I am concerned about vehicular traffic in relation to the increase in housing.

There is a lack of infrastructure to meet real needs. I do not see an urban plan that supports this new vehicular flow”, he adds. Hugo refers to a great filmmaker, when we ask him how he faces each new challenge.

“Billy Wilder already said it through one of his characters: “Life is a war, friend”. For me, life is a war, every day is a battle, I fight battle by battle, that is, day by day, I can lose a battle but never the war. Step by step, day by day, minute by minute… His personal definition of a perfect day is as follows: “A perfect day is when you leave home with many activities on the agenda and appointments, and at the end of the day you have fulfilled all the Appointments at your hours. Everyone welcomed you, nothing was postponed and you didn't get a flat tire on your car."

Are you a beach man or a mountain man?
I work under the sun, facing the sea. When I have free time I don't even think about the beach. I am a lover of the mountains, the cold and fresh water.

What is your relationship with gastronomy? Kitchens?
What I don't eat hasn't been born. I don't have a favorite food, I can eat anything. I'm not a picky eater, so I eat to live and I don't live to eat. Yes, I am learning to make sandwiches.

What does travel mean to you? Recurring places that you go to over and over again? Places to know pending on your list?
One day I said no more, I got tired of seeing the world through TV, magazines, books and the internet. I like to travel, to know, to enjoy, it is one of my passions. I am always in Miami, Cuba, NY. I go to Aspen every year, I repeat and I never tire of it. I still have the whole world to know: Thailand, Australia, Russia, etc.

How is your relationship with the different arts. Architecture, painting, etc.?
I'm doing very badly drawing, trying to draw a horse for my daughters I made something similar to a dog but ugly. As for art, I like music and dancing.

What would you like your legacy to be?
I have always thought that if at the end of my days, even if it were a street, park or building bearing my name, I would feel fulfilled. I don't want to go through this life as one more. I would like to change many things in my country, but that does not depend on me. I hope to be able to change some lives and influence others with my way of thinking and acting. That would be my legacy.