Governor reaffirms trust in housing secretary

Gov. Jenniffer González Colón, seated at center left, said at a press conference that her housing secretary, who has faced a wave of scrutiny following allegations tied to a family‑owned vehicle inspection center in Yabucoa, “is doing an excellent job,” emphasizing that under Ciary Pérez Peña’s leadership the agency has safeguarded federal funding and strengthened oversight of key programs.

By THE STAR STAFF

Gov. Jenniffer González Colón on Tuesday reaffirmed her confidence in Housing Secretary Ciary Pérez Peña, who has faced a wave of scrutiny following allegations tied to a family‑owned vehicle inspection center in Yabucoa.

“The housing secretary is doing an excellent job,” the governor said during a press conference, emphasizing that under Pérez Peña’s leadership, the agency has safeguarded federal funding and strengthened oversight of key programs.

González Colón noted that the secretary has appointed new program directors, coordinated with municipalities, and sought clarity on unresolved issues at the Department of Transportation and Public Works (DTOP).

González Colón criticized what she described as speculation fueled by outdated or politically motivated claims.

The governor reiterated that she is awaiting a full report from DTOP Secretary Edwin González Montalvo to address claims rooted in testimony from former vehicle inspection center employees.

“When I have the facts, I will speak clearly,” she said

González Colón also defended Luis Reinaldo González Delgado, executive president of the Puerto Rico Aqueduct and Sewer Authority (PRASA), after San Juan Mayor Miguel Romero Lugo criticized ongoing water service interruptions in several communities.

The governor noted that PRASA crews -- including career employees and contractors -- have been addressing the issue for over two weeks. Aging infrastructure, high population growth in the metropolitan region, and decades of deferred maintenance have complicated remedial efforts, she said. “Mayors have to defend their residents, and we are assigning the resources and funds needed for long‑term improvements,” González Colón said.

The scrutiny surrounding Pérez Peña escalated in early February following revelations about irregularities at a Yabucoa vehicle inspection center registered in her name, prompting a referral to the Puerto Rico Department of Justice. The referral -- filed by two Popular Democratic Party legislators -- cited administrative violations and alleged operational irregularities at the facility. 

Pérez Peña has forcefully denied any wrongdoing, asserting that although the business is family‑owned, she has had no operational, administrative, or decision‑making role since February 2017. She emphasized that official DTOP communications were addressed to the individuals who actually managed the center, not to her. She described the cited deficiencies as “technical issues” similar to those found at many inspection centers across the island and called the allegations “incorrect and selective.” 

A separate report from NotiCel indicated that an audit conducted in the second half of 2024 found 1,900 allegedly fraudulent inspections and irregular sales of vehicle tags at the same center. Though she no longer operated the establishment, Pérez Peña remained its legal owner during the audit period. She has reportedly paid $5,000 of a $25,000 fine imposed following the audit. 

The Office of Public Affairs at La Fortaleza has publicly insisted that Pérez Peña is “not currently linked” to the business and that the investigation concerns actions unrelated to her tenure as housing secretary. 

In an official statement issued Feb. 12, Pérez Peña denounced the accusations as “false and defamatory,” particularly because they originated from an anonymous sworn statement attributed to a DTOP employee. She reiterated that neither she nor her family had solicited or received preferential treatment and urged anyone with evidence of misconduct to present it to authorities.