Family Department Secretary Suzanne Roig Fuertes said Wednesday she has not been officially served in connection with a civil lawsuit filed Tuesday by Blanca García Sostre, a former regional director of the agency’s Arecibo region, against the Government of Puerto Rico. The suit, filed at the Court of First Instance in Arecibo, also names three other officials.
García Sostre claims that while in the post she was subject to a continuous pattern of workplace harassment, persecution, verbal and psychological mistreatment, plus actions to undermine her functions, authority, reputation, emotional stability and professional performance. In written statements, Roig Fuertes said the matter will be handled according to established procedures and that the allegations were previously investigated internally through the administrative mechanisms applicable to any employee, in compliance with manuals, legal provisions and procedures.
García Sostre had filed a complaint on July 1, 2025 against deputy director Lynette Pérez Molinari over what she described as an active persecution scheme including unauthorized photography, and claimed Roig Fuertes ignored her complaints and instead demanded she respect the deputy director’s position. She is seeking $1.35 million: $150,000 from the government and the department, and $1.2 million split equally ($300,000 each) among Roig Fuertes, Pérez Molinari, Sofia Benitez Rodríguez and Vivian Martínez Ruiz.
The claims invoke the Puerto Rico Constitution, Law 115 of 1991, Law 90 of 2020, Law 100 of 1959 and Article 1536 of the Civil Code.