On 8 April 2026, the plenary session of the National Assembly elected former judge Ángela Russo as the new Ombudsman, with 37 votes. The process was described by various sectors as an imposition by the ruling party, after the governing party, Realizando Metas, publicly instructed its caucus to support her candidacy, referring to her as the “anointed one”. Civil society organisations questioned the lack of transparency and the absence of effective citizen participation, as mandated by Law 504 of 2025 and the regulations of the election. Law 504 of 2025, which regulates the Office of the Ombudsman, establishes in Article 8 that the Government Commission “shall promote the participation of civil society in the selection sessions.”
Although 10 citizen objections were received, two of which were directed against former judge Russo, neither the content of these objections nor the reasons for their dismissal were made public, thereby denying citizens access to this information. The three statements issued by human rights organisations regarding the election were neither considered nor incorporated into the parliamentary debate.
One of the objections noted that Ángela Russo’s track record raises questions given her role as the presiding judge in the ruling that overturned the investigation into the Finmeccanica case. International legal experts warned that this ruling hindered accountability regarding public funds. The citizen objection warned that the appointment of figures linked to inner circles or backed by ruling parties could undermine the Ombudsman’s Office’s role as a counterbalance and deepen the crisis of institutional legitimacy.