Despite the multiple demands of human rights defenders and academics to elect an independent attorney general and an independent ombudsman, the majority of Chavismo ratified lawyer Larry Devoe as Attorney General of the Republic.
Representative Carolina García (Psuv) communicated the decision made and assured that Devoe has the academic, ethical, moral and citizen credentials to take the reins of the Public Ministry. “Faithful adherent of the Constitution, high sense of humanity,” who will know how to raise his voice to protect compliance with the laws.”
For the bench of the Libertad Parliamentary Group, the deputy Henrique Caprileswho had not exercised the right to speak since the installation of the AN, proposed to the doctor Magaly Vasquez as attorney general. The former presidential candidate took the time to read the extensive academic record and work experience of the lawyer, supported by the Central University of Venezuela and the Andrés Bello Catholic University (Ucab).
“We would lack time to read. If we want this country to change, this is an opportunity to choose a person without political militancyindependent, put in charge a person who defends the Constitution and the laws of the Republic,” Capriles warned.
The steamroller
The president of the AN, Jorge Rodriguezwith irony, counted the votes in favor of the proposals: 10 votes for Vásquez and 275 for Devoe, rejected by human rights defenders for denying crimes against humanity in Venezuela, as an alternate agent of the Venezuelan State before international organizations.
For the position of ombudsman, the PSUV did not stop to make a proposal. David Uzcátegui, from Fuerza Vecinal, did it to support the name of the former legal consultant of the National Electoral Council Eglée González Lobato; and Henri Falcón, for the Libertad group, to the former deputy Marialbert Barrios. Jorge Rodríguez reminded him that Barrios was a member of the Primero Justicia party.
The head of Parliament counted the votes again: 10 votes in favor of Barrios and 275 votes for González Lobato.
After declaring Devoe and González Lobato chosen, Jorge Rodríguez said he agreed with Capriles that it was an opportunity, but he did not want to say that the opposition proposal would be approved because it does not have a majority of votes.
The head of Parliament also celebrated the non-partisan militancy of González Lobato, whom the Psuv supported for the position, and Magaly Vásquez; but above all he defended Devoe’s “credentials.”
At the end of the ordinary session on April 9, the plenary session swore in the new chief prosecutor and the new ombudsman. Upon swearing in Devoe, Rodríguez urged him to ensure the application of true justice.
“I swear to work tirelessly until we achieve the new criminal justice,” said Devoe, who also said that his exercise will be in line with “a new democratic state of law and justice.”
González Lobato raised his hand to swear that the doors of the Ombudsman’s Office will be “open to everyone.” Rodríguez asked her to be “a defender and caretaker of everyone,” especially the most humble.
Committee says there was “transparency”
Upon concluding the selection process for both positions, the president of the Citizen Power Nominations Committee, Giuseppe Alessandrello (Psuv), assured that transparency and compliance with the laws were guaranteed in the selection that took almost 30 days, with an extension requested by the head of Parliament, Jorge Rodríguez.
The retired military officer indicated that in total they received 155 applications and of the number, 69 candidates advanced to the next phase. He detailed that 32 choose to direct the Public Ministry and 37 the Ombudsman’s Office.
“It reflects the committee’s commitment to objectivity and selection of suitable profiles with a high academic and professional level,” said the Psuv deputy, who also assured that the decisions were made unanimously.
Among those who reached the final stage of the selection, Alessandrello mentioned the academics Magaly Vásquez, Nelson Chitty La Roche and Renée Moros Tróccoli. Also the current prosecutor in charge, Larry Devoe.
The internationalists Luis Daniel Álvarez and Julio César Pineda, the former legal consultant of the Electoral Branch, Eglée González Lobato, the politician Enrique Ochoa Antich and the journalist had advanced for the position of defender. Vladimir Villegas.
Immediately afterwards, the president of the AN, Jorge Rodríguez, appointed the special commission of deputies that would make the final selection, among whom were the head of the Freedom Parliamentary Group, Stalin González, and Tomás Guanipa. The head of Parliament also praised the process and highlighted the “record” in the number of candidates compared to previous processes.
The commission took the time it took to continue the second discussion of the Organic Law of Mines, which started from article 115 of the regulations, to announce the names of the ratified prosecutor and the new ombudsman.
