This step is part of the pre-selection process of candidates who will be presented to the legislative plenary. However, questions remain about the progress in evaluating the resumes of applicants, a key requirement before the interview phase. The Constitution establishes that the Defender of the People must be Panamanian by birth, over 35 years old, be in full enjoyment of their civil and political rights, and not have been convicted for intentional crimes with sentences of five years or more. A few days before the process to choose the new Defender of the People begins, the Foundation for the Development of Citizen Freedom warned that the institution has lost relevance and needs to recover its role as a guarantor of citizens' rights. “The Defender of the People has lost relevance for the people who need it most,” the organization stated in a press release, in which it also emphasized that the entity must become an ethical benchmark and the voice of those who have no representation. The statement comes on the eve of the process that will be in charge of the Commission on Government, Justice, and Constitutional Affairs of the National Assembly. According to Deputy Luis Eduardo Camacho, president of this body, the interviews with the applicants will begin on Monday, March 30, at 9:30 a.m., in the Blue Hall of the Justo Arosemena Palace. According to the schedule, each of the 35 applicants will have five minutes to present their work plan before the commissioners. In addition, they must have moral solvency, recognized prestige, and no close family ties with high-ranking state authorities. Among them are people who have recently held high positions in other state bodies, lack experience in human rights, or maintain ties with political parties. The organization also warned that candidates with a history of corruption, ethical sanctions, gender-based violence, harassment, or discrimination, as well as those with economic interests linked to the state, should be excluded. The foundation also stated that those who have previously held the position should not be considered again, which puts the current Defender of the People, who is running for re-election, under scrutiny. Finally, the foundation reiterated that the Defender's Office “was created to be the voice of those who have no voice, not a consolation prize or a political spoils,” and called on the National Assembly to act responsibly in this election. The role of a defender The Defender of the People's role is to defend the human rights guaranteed by the Political Constitution, the laws, and the international legal instruments that Panama has signed. Although they cannot pass sentence, their role is key as a mediator and watchdog for the compliance of human rights, especially to protect vulnerable groups. Exclusion criteria In its statement, the foundation also proposed a series of criteria on who should not be considered for the position.
