Inés Mendoza stood by the Spanish language, defying the new colonial authorities that wanted to replace it with English.

She returned to Puerto Rico to begin her career as a teacher, writer and newspaper columnist.

As First Lady, she showed interest in Puerto Rico's ecology and public education system.

Doña Inés, as she was known to close friends and family, died a decade after his death on August 13, 1990 at Auxilio Mutuo Hospital in Hato Rey, Puerto Rico.

Her defiance got such a strong popular support that the imposition of English was abolished, as reminded by former governor of Puerto Rico, Alejandro García Padilla.