Lusinchi's controversial divorce from First Lady Castillo, in favor of his mistress and private secretary Blanca Ibáñez, was a major public and political scandal during his presidency.
[1] She was introduced to her future husband, Jaime Lusinchi, by mutual friends while attending a sports tournament in Aragua de Barcelona.
[1] Castillo effectively separated from Lusinchi, but remained married due to her family and potential consequences for Lusinschi's political career.
Shortly after taking office, Lusinchi appointed his mistress, Blanca Ibáñez, as the "private secretary" of the Presidency in February 1984.
[1] She expressed her frustrations in the interview with Nelson Hippolyte, which were later published in the book, La Pregunta y sus Víctimas', "In this role as first lady I have been able to do many things for my profession as a doctor-pediatrician, but I have not had the support...I wanted to build a big recreational park for the family and they didn't give me permission either.
[2] First Lady Castillo criticized her husband's actions and refused to move out of the La Casona [es] presidential palace during the divorce proceedings.
The Catholic Church, led by Mérida Archbishop Miguel Antonio Salas, harshly condemned Lusinchi and the speed of his divorce, writing, "With consternation and astonishment, we have learned from the press of the divorce decree of the presidential couple" and called it "...a bad example by the national magistrate which has dealt a severe blow to the family institution in Venezuela.