Eduardo Leblanc, the current ombudsman, and Ángela Russo, a former Supreme Court Justice, two of the main candidates to lead the Public Defender's Office, were eliminated from this race. The National Assembly's Commission on Government, Justice, and Constitutional Affairs decided to submit a list of candidates to the full body, whom the commissioners believe meet the requirements for the role. Although a group of deputies, led by Luis Eduardo Camacho, proposed that the legislature's recommendation consider all 35 candidates, the motion did not gain majority support. Instead, it was approved to create a list, from which Leblanc's successor will be chosen. The suggestion, backed by some members of the Vamos faction and Deputy Raphael Buchanan of the Democratic Revolutionary Party (PRD), is that not all candidates possess the technical experience the position requires, as demonstrated during the interview period. Camacho, president of the commission, presented the majority and minority reports to the other deputies, requesting the revocation of the decision. Former legislator Gloria Young was also excluded from the list of candidates. The term of the current Public Defender ended on March 31, but he will remain in office until his replacement is defined.
