---
title: "Civil Society Demands Close Oversight as Panama Moves to Select New Defensor del Pueblo"
date: 2026-03-22
author: ""
url: https://panamadaily.news/2026/03/22/eleccion-defensor-del-pueblo-panama-2026/
categories:
  - "News"
  - "Politics"
tags:
  - "Asamblea Nacional"
  - "civil society"
  - "Defensor del Pueblo"
  - "human rights"
  - "Panama 2026"
---

# Civil Society Demands Close Oversight as Panama Moves to Select New Defensor del Pueblo

## What Happened

About 50 civil society organizations issued an urgent call for citizens to closely monitor the upcoming selection of Panama’s new defensor del pueblo for the 2026–2031 term. The call comes as the Assembly’s Government, Justice and Constitutional Affairs Commission formally closed the submission period for candidates on March 20, marking the start of a decisive phase in the process.

## Candidates and Timeline

Official records show 35 aspirants registered interest in leading the national human rights institution. The National Assembly will publish the list of candidates who meet legal requirements on Monday, March 23 via its digital channels.

Civil objections may be filed in a key two-day window: Wednesday, March 25 and Thursday, March 26. The Legislature has said objections can be submitted either in person or virtually through a web link that will be announced in the coming days.

Prominent names among the aspirants include the incumbent defensor del pueblo, Eduardo Leblanc González, who is seeking another term; former magistrate Ángela Russo; and substitute deputy Ricardo Valencia. Other candidates noted for technical or sector experience include former deputy Gloria Young Chizmar, academic Venicia Clementina Chang, and jurists Rodrigo García Rodríguez and Raúl Eduardo Peñaloza Testa.

## Legal Framework and Civic Role

The selection process is governed by Article 8 of Law 504 of 2025, which requires the Commission to promote civil society participation. Beyond formal eligibility rules — applicants must be at least 35 years old, hold Panamanian nationality and have no criminal record — civic groups are urging evaluation of candidates’ independence, transparency and track record in defending fundamental rights.

Organisations also reference the Paris Principles as a standard the Assembly should follow, calling for a public, rigorous and transparent scrutiny that allows meaningful citizen participation at each stage of the selection.

## What This Means

Civil society’s call underscores a broader concern about insulating the human rights office from political or private interests. The coming days will test whether the Assembly opens the process to robust public oversight and whether objections submitted by citizens influence the final shortlist and eventual appointment.

With the objection period and candidate list imminent, watchdogs and citizens alike will be watching for procedural transparency and for evidence that the chosen defensor del pueblo can act independently in defense of human rights.