Wanda Vázquez Garced

Wanda Vázquez Garced is a Puerto Rican attorney and public servant. Since 2017, she has been serving as Secretary of Justice of Puerto Rico.

Vázquez Garced was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico. She began her primary studies at the Ramón Marín and Margarita Janer schools in Guaynabo, Puerto Rico. Vázquez became interested in law at an early age. She said in an interview that she used to watch TV shows like Hawaii Five-O with her father, which led her to realize she wanted to follow a career along that line. Vázquez studied at the University of Puerto Rico, where she completed her Bachelor's degree. After that, she completed her Juris doctor (J.D.) at the Interamerican University of Puerto Rico.^[1]

During the 1980s, Vázquez worked for the Puerto Rico Department of Housing. Then, she worked as a district attorney for the Puerto Rico Department of Justice for 20 years. Vázquez specialized in cases of domestic and sexual abuse. She also worked in the Criminal Division for the Bayamón Prosecutor's office.

In 2010, Vázquez was appointed to replace Ivonne Feliciano as the head of the Office for Women's Rights of the island.^[2] In November 30, 2016, Governor-elect Ricky Rosselló nominated her for the position of Secretary of Justice of Puerto Rico. She was confirmed and sworn in January 18, 2017.^[3]

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