Could Dr. Manza’s Situation Have Been Handled Differently?

The decision to sideline Doctor Manzanero from his duties as the legally appointed and commissioned Director of Health Services has raised the ire of many in the public service.  While the prime minister agrees with and supports the decision to have him replaced, he admits that the manner in which Doctor Manza was benched could have been handled differently.

Prime Minister John Briceño

“I stand by the decision.  Now we could have taken a different approach or a better approach, but the decision was the right decision.  Look at the facts, Dr. Manzanero was the DHS for some time now and he was the person at the head handling the COVID spread and he was unsuccessful. Now could we have then asked Dr. Manzanero to step down in a better fashion?  Of course we could have and that is what I said, that we could have handled it differently so that we wouldn’t have this issue at this time, but something had to be done and we made the right decision and I stand by that decision.”

John Briceño

Marleni Cuellar

“So when you said that it could have been handled differently, does that mean that you don’t agree with the current misconduct allegations?”

Prime Minister John Briceño

“Well I don’t want to go down that road because there is some serious allegations there.  But I would not have done that, I would have simply told Dr. Manzanero or I would have asked Dr. Manzanero, “Your time is up and we need to put you… don’t become DHS for the rest of your life.”