SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) 鈥� governor announced Tuesday that her embattled chief of staff, Francisco Domenech, and deputy chief of staff, Itza Garc铆a, are stepping down next month as they deny corruption allegations.
The two are being investigated by an independent state agency at Puerto Rico鈥檚 Office of Permit Management.
Domenech also served as executive director of Puerto Rico鈥檚 Fiscal Agency and Financial Advisory Authority.
The allegations began when Puerto Rico鈥檚 former economic development chief Sebasti谩n Negr贸n resigned in May and accused Gov. Jenniffer Gonz谩lez鈥檚 administration of interfering with the agency鈥檚 work. More than 10 other officials 鈥� including the agency鈥檚 chief of staff, general counsel and finance chief 鈥� also resigned.
Gonz谩lez had described Negr贸n as 鈥渁 star鈥� and said at the time that she lamented his resignation.
Negr贸n accused Domenech of irregularities related to contract processing and undue government interference, which he has denied.
Meanwhile, Garc铆a was accused of pressuring Negr贸n to appoint the wife of the president of Politank 鈥� a powerful lobbying and government relations firm that Domenech founded 鈥� to Puerto Rico鈥檚 Office of Permit Management.
Negr贸n also referred to Puerto Rico鈥檚 Justice Department and its Office of Government Ethics the findings of an internal investigation led by the economic development agency against two government officials, who are accused of interfering in the process for an auction of a contract involving federal funds.
Domenech and Garc铆a had faced growing calls for their resignation, including from members of the governor鈥檚 own party, most notably Thomas Rivera Schatz, president of Puerto Rico鈥檚 Senate.
Schatz himself recently referred Garc铆a to Puerto Rico鈥檚 Office of the Special Independent Prosecutor鈥檚 Panel and the Office of Government Ethics.
The governor thanked Domenech and Garc铆a for their work and loyalty, adding that 鈥渁 period of public service comes to a close鈥� and that she would not allow the work of her administration to be 鈥渟ilenced鈥� by 鈥渁gendas and continuous attacks鈥� of certain people she did not identify.
Domenech and Garc铆a spoke briefly and did not directly address the allegations.
鈥淚 return to my private life with the peace of mind of having served with integrity,鈥� Domenech said.
Meanwhile, Garc铆a said she grew professionally in her role and added that it was a privilege to work with certain officials before she teared up and had to pause.
鈥淚 am concluding this chapter, but not my commitment to Puerto Rico,鈥� she said.
Domenech previously submitted sworn statements against Negr贸n alleging corruption and conflicts of interest, which Negr贸n has denied.
On Friday, Domenech said he was informed that Puerto Rico鈥檚 Office of the Special Independent Prosecutor鈥檚 Panel was investigating him following Negr贸n鈥檚 allegations, which he said were 鈥渞iddled with lies, half-truths, documents tailored to suit a narrative, subjective characterizations and distortions.鈥�
The corruption allegations and deepening political crisis in Puerto Rico have caught the attention of some federal legislators, who questioned whether federal funds are being appropriately used.
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