Blanca Medina Díaz, the recently dismissed head of the Socioeconomic Development Administration of the Family (ADSEF), testified under oath before the Senate Committee on Family, Women, Seniors and Persons with Functional Diversity and Disabilities on Wednesday. She said that after allegedly facing constant pressure from Family Secretary Suzanne Roig to grant two contracts, she went to former Governor’s Secretary Francisco Domenech to report the situation and he allegedly ignored her.
"He (Domenech) knew everything that was happening," she said. Asked by committee chair Wanda Soto what she received from him, Medina Díaz answered, "Nothing." She has a 35-year public career and is retired.
Answering Sen. Jeison Rosa Ramos, she denied that Domenech pressured her to approve contracts. She said that on one occasion she told Governor Jenniffer González she "had problems," including with ADSEF deputy administrator Juan Avilés, who joined Roig on a December 7–10, 2025 official trip to Louisiana to visit NOLA Education/Star Academy facilities, part of a controversial auction of educational services.
She said she removed Avilés but was instructed to reinstate him; she did not say who gave the instruction. After she notified Roig in writing on May 20 that contracting Strategic Technology Advisors for a training platform was not appropriate, Roig allegedly tried to move all pending ADSEF contract proposals to the Secretariat for evaluation, which Medina Díaz refused.
She said this was the last straw and, she believes, led to her dismissal, carried out by Governor’s Secretary Norma Burgos, who allegedly gave no justification.