The citizen commission selecting Ecuador's next attorney general began reviewing 49 citizen challenges against 26 candidates on August 6, 2026. The panel is carrying out the public contest to select the head of the Attorney General's Office.
As the plenary session began, commissioners dismissed two objections filed against current deputy prosecutor Carlos Alarcón Angulo. The commission rejected the filings because the challengers, José Chávez Ponce and Washington Andrade, are also applicants in the contest. Article 45 of the contest regulations forbids applicants from submitting challenges against other candidates.
By July 31, 2026, 51 total challenges had arrived at the Council for Public Participation and Social Control, known as CPCCS. The dismissal of the two objections left 49 active challenges, as certified within the commission.
Candidate Requirements and Evaluation
The eight commissioners divided the remaining files among themselves, assigning six challenges to seven of the members and seven challenges to the remaining commissioner. Commissioners will check whether each submission includes the proponents' names, identity card numbers, the target candidate's identity, factual and legal grounds, supporting documentation, and an email address for notifications.
The selection process originally featured 27 applicants. Former minister in Daniel Noboa's government José de la Gasca was disqualified, while candidate Luis Rosero Méndez withdrew from the race. The CPCCS plenary formally acknowledged Rosero's resignation on the previous Wednesday, allowing the selection to proceed with 26 candidates.
