- The process for appointing the top officials of the Attorney General’s Office and the Ombudsperson’s Office in Venezuela has raised concerns due to the lack of transparency and public participation, which are essential safeguards for appointing independent, qualified, and ethical individuals to key positions that ensure access to justice and the protection of human rights.
- The Nomination Evaluation Committee responsible for the selection consists solely of legislators and excludes representatives from various sectors of society as required by the Constitution and the law, thereby undermining diversity, compromising independence, and negating public participation in the process.
- The process has proceeded without the publication of regulations, a timeline, or evaluation criteria, which restricts public scrutiny, generates mistrust regarding a selection based on merit and ethical capacity, and opens the door to discretionary decisions.
Washington, D.C., and Caracas, March 23, 2026.
The undersigned organizations express our concern regarding the processes for appointing the heads of the Office of the Attorney General and the Office of the Ombudsperson currently being carried out by the National Assembly of Venezuela, which are proceeding without meeting minimum standards of transparency, citizen participation, impartiality, and accountability. These deficiencies in the process create the risk that individuals lacking the independence, suitability, and integrity required to hold these positions will be appointed, further undermining access to justice and the protection of human rights.
On February 25, 2026, Tarek William Saab and Alfredo Ruiz submitted their resignations from their positions as Attorney General of the Republic and Ombudsman, respectively, to the National Assembly. That same day, the National Assembly proceeded to form the Nomination Evaluation Committee (hereinafter the “Evaluation Committee”) required by the Constitution and the Organic Law of the Citizen Power for the selection of these positions, and to appoint interim authorities until the appointment process is completed.
However, the Evaluation Committee was composed solely of sitting deputies, mostly from the ruling party, without including representatives from various sectors of society as required by the Constitution and the law. This composition undermines the plurality and independence of the process, as well as the guarantees of citizen participation, as it suggests that the eventual appointment of the new authorities could be based on political loyalties rather than criteria of professional merit, which would compromise the autonomy of the Attorney General’s Office and the Ombudsperson’s Office.
Although the list of candidates was published on Monday, March 16, our organizations highlight the concern that, to date, the Evaluation Committee appointed by the National Assembly has not published the regulations governing the selection process, the timeline approved on February 27, 2026, or the criteria being used to evaluate the candidates’ credentials.
The absence of clear and public rules regarding the procedure and evaluation criteria limits the possibility of effective public scrutiny and restricts informed citizen participation, undermining the legitimacy of the process. This opens the door to discretionary decisions rather than a selection based on merit, technical criteria, and the integrity of the candidates.
In this context, the undersigned organizations call on the National Assembly to ensure that the selection process for the top officials of the Office of the Attorney General and the Office of the Ombudsman adheres to the principles of transparency, citizen participation, impartiality, and accountability, which allow for the selection of independent and qualified individuals in accordance with the Venezuelan Constitution and international standards regarding the appointment of authorities responsible for essential functions for the protection of human rights and the rule of law.
Furthermore, we urge the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, the relevant United Nations mechanisms, and the States of the region to closely monitor and oversee this appointment process, given its direct impact on the restoration of institutional independence, access to justice, and the protection of human rights in Venezuela.
Acceso a la Justicia
AlertaVenezuela
Aula Abierta
Centro por la Justicia y el Derecho Internacional (CEJIL)
Centro de Justicia y Paz - Cepaz
CIVICUS: Alianza Global para la Participación Ciudadana
Due Process of Law Foundation (DPLF)
Robert and Ethel Kennedy Human Rights Center
Washington Office on Latin America (WOLA)
