Family secretary says dismissed ADSEF director threatened to assault her
Insists firing was due to incompetence; Rep. ‘Cony’ Varela calls for House probe into contract pressure allegations
By THE STAR STAFF
Family Secretary Suzanne Roig Fuertes denied on Wednesday that the dismissal of Blanca Medina Díaz, director of the Administration for the Socioeconomic Development of the Family (ADSEF), was related to an alleged contract involving federal funds.
“There has never been a contract here. OK, there has never been a contract. There wasn’t even a draft contract,” Roig Fuertes said in a radio interview (NotiUno). “There was an intention to bring in a wonderful project for our children, but it was misaligned with certain elements required by federal funding. This began long before the former administrator took office, and shortly after she started, she was informed that the project would not be viable. So, we cancelled all actions regarding this project.”
Roig Fuertes insisted that the official’s dismissal was due to performance issues and her attitude.
“The reality here is that the easy way out is being taken to try to hide incompetence and how her inaction put PAN [Nutrition Assistance Program] benefits at risk. She didn’t have the slightest knowledge of the processes; she wouldn’t answer the phone or participate in key meetings related to her administrative duties. She always needed someone by her side to speak for her because she lacked the knowledge to discuss the programs, projects, funds, and the steps needed to move forward and comply with federal government requirements,” the Family secretary stated.
Roig Fuertes even alleged that, at one point, the dismissed official threatened to assault her.
“This woman dared to threaten to hit me in the presence of the [La Fortaleza] chief of staff,” she said. “She made threats to physically assault me during her conversation with the chief of staff, and she did the same in her office, in front of her staff. We are talking about someone with absolutely no credibility who is taking the easy route of manufacturing a news story because she lacks the capacity to acknowledge her own incompetence.”
When asked who had recommended Medina Díaz for the position, Roig Fuertes replied that the appointment was the prerogative of Gov. Jenniffer González Colón.
The controversy arose after Medina Díaz claimed, in an interview with Telemundo journalist Milly Méndez, that her differences with Roig Fuertes stemmed from her refusal to sign a contract worth some $38.5 million related to Star Academy.
Medina Díaz maintained that she was instructed to sign the contract shortly after taking over as head of ADSEF but refused, believing that Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) funds could not be used to address academic lag under the proposed conditions. According to her account, she communicated her objections in writing, and she did not sign the contract.
The former administrator also alleged that she was subsequently pressured to authorize another proposal, worth about $300,000, for training and technology services. Medina Díaz maintained that she refused to do so unless the proposer came to ADSEF to present the scope of services.
The day before, La Fortaleza Chief of Staff Norma Burgos Andújar attributed Medina Díaz’s dismissal to allegations of insubordination, unresponsiveness, missed meetings, administrative shortcomings and communication issues with the leadership of the Family Department, as previously reported by the Star. Burgos Andújar stated that, during her efforts to address the conflict, she received no claims linking the dismissal to contracts, nor did she have information regarding irregularities in Medina Díaz’s handling of federal funds.
Following the former administrator’s remarks on Telemundo, Roig Fuertes dismissed them as false and urged her to present any allegations under oath before the appropriate forums.
“The former ADSEF administrator’s statements are not only false but regrettable,” Roig Fuertes said in a written statement. “If she has any allegations to make, I urge her to submit them under oath to the appropriate forums.”
The Family secretary added that ADSEF services and benefits continue to operate and that Medina Díaz’s departure has not disrupted the agency’s work.
Earlier on Wednesday, Caguas District Rep. José “Conny” Varela Fernández formally requested that Speaker of the Puerto Rico House of Representatives Carlos “Johnny” Méndez Núñez summon the former ADSEF administrator to a formal questioning session before the full House.
The purpose, he said, is for Medina Díaz to testify under oath regarding the circumstances of her dismissal and the alleged pressure she faced to sign documents related to a contract worth up to $38 million.
“We are facing allegations of extreme gravity,” the veteran lawmaker said. “An official who led the agency managing assistance for Puerto Rico’s most needy families has publicly stated that she was pressured and harassed into signing a contract about which she had reservations, and was subsequently fired. On the other hand, the government claims the dismissal was due to insubordination. Both versions cannot be true at the same time, and the public deserves to know the truth -- under oath and before their representatives.”
“[...] Mismanagement of these funds could expose Puerto Rico to federal government sanctions and, ultimately, harm the families who rely on these programs,” he added.
It is alleged that the contract in question was with the company NOLA Education LLC to implement the Star Academy program in 25 public schools -- serving nearly 2,000 students -- and was to be funded by federal TANF program monies. Medina Díaz reportedly placed on record, in a May 20, 2026, communication addressed to the Family secretary, that ADSEF did not participate in the proposal evaluation, the selection of the company, or the awarding of the project.
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