Puerto Rico’s Secretary of Family, Suzanne Roig Fuertes, defended herself against Senate allegations of improper contract awards, including a $355,646 contract with SAMU Foundation Corp. Roig Fuertes stated that the contract award process was legal and that she had not intervened in the evaluation process. Governor Jenniffer González also defended Roig Fuertes, saying that some senators were trying to create a perception of illegality where none existed.
The Senate’s request for information includes the administrative process for the contract award, as well as details about Roig Fuertes’ trip to Spain. Roig Fuertes said that SAMU Foundation had approached the agency in the first half of the previous year and that the contract was for a mentorship program for young people. The controversy comes as Roig Fuertes is also facing questions over a canceled $38 million contract with NOLA Education for the Star Academy program.