La Fortaleza has closed ranks, for now, around Family secretary Suzanne Roig. Public Affairs secretary Jean Peña Payano said Roig remains in her post and has Gov. Jennifer González Colón’s confidence, but made clear that confidence is not a blank check and that every cabinet member stays subject to evaluation. "Not only the Family secretary, all of us, including me, are under constant evaluation by Gov. Jennifer González Colón. She is the one who decides how, in what manner and when people enter her team and when she removes them," Peña Payano said.
"She (Roig) stays in the position, obviously yes, but we are always under the governor’s evaluation, and that includes this servant." The remarks come as scrutiny grows over events at the Family Socioeconomic Development Administration (ADSEF). Former ADSEF administrator Blanca Medina Díaz has alleged that she was pressured by Roig to sign a contract of about $38.5 million tied to the Star Academy program.
Medina has questioned the legality of the process. Roig and Medina have been summoned to appear before the Senate Family Committee, where each, separately, must explain what happened with the contract and answer questions about how it was handled.