Scandal boss fired AFTER she resigned

Another layer of confusion has been added to the scandal of abuse in shelters for children and adolescents that has ignited three weeks of street protests.

Mayra Inés Silvera, director for a month of the National Secretariat for Children, Adolescents and the Family (Senniaf), was forced to resign and aired her version of events in an interview on Radio Panama.

She said that on March 3, she was summoned to the Presidency and presented with a letter of resignation already that she had to sign. It does not detail the reasons for her removal from office. However, Silvera claims to have sent a resignation note written by her on February 25, in which she describes as “impossible under these circumstances” to make the necessary changes in the institution.

Despite circulating rumors about the change of command the Presidency press office claimed: “not to have details.” This, despite Silvera having been in the Presidency on March 3, signing her resignation reports La Prensa.

Mayra Inés Silvera became the first official to leave the government in the midst of the scandal over the abuses committed in shelters under the custody Senniaf which she took over on February 2.

One of PresidentCortizo’s assistants presented her with a letter of resignation already drawn up, a document that she signed.

She was surprised, she said because she had tried to resign from the position and they did not accept it in the Presidency. According to her version, they told her that they were going to support her, and she had even started hiring staff. “I feel humiliated and betrayed,” she said.

Silvera disclosed the two resignation letters: the one that they made her sign on March 3, that does not state the reasons for her departure and only says that it is for “reasons of a personal and professional nature.” and the one he presented on February 25, in which he reveals the entity’s realities: “Unfortunately I do not have the infrastructure, the equipment or the support to face the problems that have shocked the entire nation [… ] Without the required support, I cannot fight this great problem that involves aberrations against children and adolescents ”.

Silvera also gave an interview to journalist Álvaro Alvarado through Instagram. She reiterated what she said on Radio Panama, and also said that the person who recommended her for the position was Carla García, former deputy director of Senniaf and today the governor of Panama.

Silvera was ratified as Senniaf director on February 1 Eight days after she received the approval of the Legislative Assembly the Legislative Commission on Women, Children, Youth, and the Family presented the report that has triggered almost three continuous weeks of citizen protests and investigations in the Public Ministry.

Her name, along with that of Carla García, former deputy director of the entity,  was mentioned over and over again in the unstoppable citizen protests that demand actions in favor of the rights of children. and teenagers. 

See also: A Shameful  Outrage