Inspector general: Ex-Teachers Retirement System chief misused public resources

By The Star Staff

Inspector General Ivelisse Torres Rivera has filed complaints against former Teachers Retirement System (SRM by its Spanish initials) Director Armando Rivera Díaz with the Department of Justice, the Government Ethics Office and the Office of the Election Comptroller for using public resources for political purposes.

“We identified situations where the former executive director of the SRM used the official computer and email for political purposes and personal gain,” Torres Rivera said.

The inspector general’s office found 58 incidents involving the former SRM director, who appeared to be using public equipment to promote his New Progressive Party primary candidacy for mayor of Fajardo in 2020.

Torres Rivera said “the former director could have used government resources for his political management, shared a government platform, and carried out official activities as an SRM official for his political campaign.”

“This use of public resources for personal matters unrelated to government management represents conduct not authorized by law,” she said.

Among the violations identified, 24 were related to political acts and communications to employees using work resources or equipment during working hours. The remaining 34 infractions were personal communications and procedures unrelated to work during working hours.

The report details an email sent by the former director to his personal account in June 2019 with information about donors and a political donation collection activity. Those findings were sent to the Department of Justice, the Government Ethics Office and the Office of the Election Comptroller.

Torres Rivera said the full report was not released so as not to interfere with future investigations and to preserve due process for the identified employees. An executive summary, meanwhile, is available on the inspector general’s website.