Anselmo Fonseca

Program Manager

Anselmo Fonseca is the program manager for AIDS United’s initiatives in Puerto Rico. He is an avid advocate for people living with HIV in Puerto Rico, focusing on issues of government accountability, disaster relief and preparedness, and access to care.

In addition to his work with AIDS United, Anselmo is the president and cofounder of the AIDS advocacy group Pacientes de SIDA pro Política Sana (AIDS Patients for Sane Policies), which he and his late partner formed in 1999 after learning about the embezzlement of more than $2 million in funds from the San Juan AIDS Institute by government officials. To this day, frustration with government unaccountability and neglect continues to fuel his efforts to help people living with HIV, especially in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria.

After being stranded in the mountains for three days after the storm, Anselmo, a founding board member of the National Latino AIDS Action Network and cochair of the Ryan White Part B Planning Body, jumped into action to help fellow islanders living with HIV access disaster assistance to rebuild their homes and secure medications and food in the face of indifference from the government on the mainland.