Since leaving her job as director of the National Institute for Consumer Rights Protection (Pro-Consumidor) in 2012, Altagracia Paulino has campaigned for the ombudsperson job. The position is still held by Zoila Martinez, whose term ended in May 2019. Martínez has said she is not interested in continuing.
Paulino has the backing of several organizations for her track record at Pro-Consumidor. Nevertheless, neither the Chamber of Deputies or the Supreme Court of Justice have followed the procedures set by the Constitution to replace Martínez.
Articles 190-192 of the 2015 Constitution establish that the ombudsperson is an independent authority with administrative and budgetary autonomy, bound only by the mandate given by the Constitution and the law. The ombudsperson is in charge of safeguarding the rights of individuals and the collective.
The Constitution establishes that the Senate shall appoint the ombudsperson and deputies for six years from lists of three candidates that need to be submitted by the Chamber of Deputies. The Senate then shall appoint the ombudsperson and deputies within 30 days.
The Constitution establishes that if the Chamber of Deputies fails to present the lists, as has happened, the Supreme Court of Justice is then mandated to create the lists and submit these to the Senate. The Supreme Court has not yet acted in this case.
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Proceso
Diario de 3
Listin Diario
6 August 2019