Jeremy Enriquez Sues GOB Over Failure to Appoint Ombudsman
A constitutional challenge has been filed against the Government of Belize over what Jeremy Enriquez describes as its failure to appoint a new Ombudsman more than six months after the office became vacant.
Enriquez told News 5 that he filed the constitutional claim on June fifth, along with an urgent application asking the High Court to compel the government to appoint an Ombudsman without further delay. According to Enriquez, despite filing the matter with a certificate of urgency, it took five weeks before a hearing date was set for July twenty-first.
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Enriquez criticized the delay, saying it was unacceptable for an urgent constitutional matter involving a key public office that has remained vacant for months.
The Office of the Ombudsman serves as an independent constitutional body responsible for investigating complaints of unfair, unlawful, or improper actions by government ministries, departments, and public authorities. It also provides an affordable avenue for Belizeans seeking redress against government agencies.
The office has remained vacant since the tenure of former Ombudsman Major (Ret’d) Gilbert Swaso ended around December 31, 2025. Enriquez argues that the government’s failure to appoint a replacement has weakened an important constitutional safeguard and undermined public confidence in the rule of law.
According to Enriquez, the vacancy has directly affected his ability to challenge government decisions under the Freedom of Information Act. He says he has two pending applications before the Office of the Ombudsma, one relating to government payments connected to litigation arising from the 2020 State of Emergency detentions and another concerning records on the former Voice of America property. Without an Ombudsman in office, those matters cannot be reviewed.
The constitutional claim comes just one month after Attorney General Anthony Sylvestre addressed concerns over the prolonged vacancy in the Office of the Ombudsman. At the time, Sylvestre said the delay was linked to the government’s plan to expand the office into a National Human Rights Institution, a reform he said requires legislative changes and broader consultation with civil society.