Area Rep, Andre Perez, Rejects Political Victimization Claims in San Pedro

A San Pedro resident is accusing Area Representative and Minister Andre Perez of political victimization, claiming he lost both land and employment after publicly raising concerns, but officials say the facts tell a different story.  In the first instance, Jose Hernandez told reporters that he had been directed to a parcel of land years ago by former area representative Manuel Heredia and had been making payments toward it. Minister Andre Perez has strongly rejected Hernandez’s accusation of political victimization, describing him as a “blatant liar.” Perez says the land issue predates the current administration and stems from Hernandez occupying property that had already been titled to another individual under the previous government.  According to Perez, officials later identified an adjacent parcel that was available and offered it to Hernandez as the best possible accommodation, an offer the minister says Hernandez accepted at the time.  In the second instance, Hernandez is saying he was terminated from the San Pedro Town Council as an act of political victimization.  Documents, however, reviewed by Love News show Hernandez was engaged under a driving services contract, not as a salaried employee. An agreement dated March 14, 2024, between the San Pedro Town Council and Hernandez states he would provide school van services for the period March 14 to June 28, 2024, and explicitly notes that the arrangement was not an employment agreement and that Hernandez was an independent contractor. The contract also allows either party to cancel the agreement with one week’s written notice. San Pedro’s Town Administrator Rene Guzman told Love News that the council had been receiving multiple complaints from parents regarding Hernandez’s performance, including concerns about the reliability of the runs and reports that attempts were made to charge students despite the service being free.

Guzman explained that the contract was not renewed, and in light of the complaints, Hernandez’s services were terminated and he was issued an official letter. The matter has now become politically charged, with Hernandez maintaining he has been unfairly treated, while town officials insist their actions were based on documented concerns and contractual terms.