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Anaís Rodríguez Vega, the Secretary of Natural and Environmental Resources (DNER), who submitted her resignation on Monday effective December 31, emphasized that her successor should persist with the administrative actions against the relatives of Governor-elect Jenniffer González Colón concerning unlawful construction and ecological violations within the La Parguera Natural Reserve in Lajas.
“This case remains active within the Department. There are administrative actions that must proceed regardless of who holds the position of nominating authority for the Department…” Rodríguez Vega stated during a radio discussion. “The cases [against González’s in-laws] have been initiated, and their administrative processes must advance, allowing the involved parties to present all necessary claims.”
The governor-elect has yet to select a new DNER secretary.
Since the previous May, the agency has been probing a complaint against José Vargas Cortés and his spouse, Irma Rivera Llavona, for purportedly removing mangroves and enlarging a dock without the appropriate permits. The couple has refuted any accusations of wrongdoing.
González Colón has claimed that the accusations against her relatives are politically motivated. She has also stated that she is not involved in any actions taken by her relatives.
This issue has created tension between the parties. Throughout the administrative proceedings, the governor-elect’s in-laws questioned Rodríguez Vega’s neutrality in overseeing the case, as she had made several public remarks that they argued were biased against them.
In response, the DNER secretary has iterated on multiple occasions that all administrative procedures of the agency are conducted with strict adherence to legal standards.
The outgoing secretary, who had been on maternity leave from the DNER for several months, expressed satisfaction with her performance despite pressures from various groups.
“You have two very vocal factions,” she remarked. “One has the financial means that demand swift progress on their projects, while another equally vocal faction advocates for environmental protection, and we need to find a compromise that satisfies both.”
Rodríguez Vega’s resignation comes after the departure of Public-Private Partnerships Authority Executive Director Fermín Fontanés Gómez last week. Education Secretary Yanira Raíces Vega also announced her resignation on December 6.
