A debate is unfolding in Panama over the candidates for the position of Ombudsman. Key figures include the current Ombudsman, Eduardo Leblanc González, former Supreme Court Justice Ángela Russo, and deputy Ricardo Valencia.
While Leblanc has insisted on the need to depoliticize the institution, his actions in sensitive situations—such as social protests in Bocas del Toro, the persecution of environmentalists, or the Executive Branch's decisions on migration—have been cautiously observed by civil society organizations and legal sectors. In many of these episodes, his intervention has focused on calls for dialogue and mediation, leading some to perceive his role as more reactive than decisive in the face of political power.
This perception was recently reinforced during his appearance before the National Assembly, where he defended a bill that would benefit former President Ricardo Martinelli, who is currently asylum in Colombia after being convicted for money laundering in the New Business case.
Meanwhile, Valencia, the current substitute for the deputy from Realizando Metas, Shirley Castañedas, is remembered for his past in the Assembly where he served as a deputy from 2009 to 2014. In 2011, Valencia became the first Panameñist deputy to switch parties, joining the ranks of the Democratic Change party. His political career has also been marked by criticism for his low participation in plenary sessions and a high number of absences.
Ángela Russo, a Supreme Court justice from 2015 to 2025, is also known for her controversial decisions. In 2021, she was among the justices who ruled that a deputy from the Revolutionary Democratic Party (PRD) had not committed crimes against minors. In another high-profile case, she was the only justice to dissent from the ruling that banned same-sex marriage in Panama, issuing an 18-page opinion warning that the state was violating international human rights obligations.
Russo's profile has re-emerged in the public debate as she seeks to position herself for the Ombudsman role. Her judicial career, marked by both extensive experience and controversy, is now under scrutiny as she campaigns for this critical position.
