The Credentials Commission of the National Assembly approved the recommendation to ratify Lilibeth Cárdenas Chanis as the new director of SENNIAF, an institution that has been hit by reports of abuse and mistreatment of minors in some care centers. During her appearance, the official stated that she assumes the post in the midst of an institutional crisis that has put the management of shelters for children and adolescents in the public eye. She assured that she arrives with the intention of confronting the problems head-on and recovering the trust of the citizenry. The appointed director was direct in stating that she puts her name, her honor, and her credibility on the table to move the institution forward. She said that she will not allow irregularities and that if she detects situations that put minors or public trust at risk, she will file the corresponding complaints. Among her first actions, she explained that her plan contemplates real training for caregivers, reinforcing the technical staff, and improving the care conditions in the centers where children under state protection remain. She also maintained that shelters should be the exception and not the norm, so the model of foster homes, supported by Law 510, will be promoted to recruit volunteer families that can provide a family environment for minors. Cárdenas indicated that she has set herself the goal of carrying out a complete diagnosis of SENNIAF in three months, to identify failures, staff shortages, and other obstacles that affect the institution's functioning. She even recounted that during a visit to the Tocumen shelter, she detected a lack of technical staff and caregivers, as well as the need for training, since staff burnout directly impacts the care of children. Now, the ratification process for the director of SENNIAF will go to the full National Assembly, where she will need to obtain the favorable vote of the majority of deputies to officially assume the position.
