Ministerio Público — Procuraduría General de la República
Ministerio Público
Summary
The Ministerio Público, headed by the Procurador General de la República, is established by Articles 169-172 of the 2015 Constitución Política and regulated by Ley Orgánica No. 133-11 of 2011. The Procurador General is appointed by the President of the Republic and serves a four-year renewable term. Under Arts. 19-28 of Ley 133-11, the Ministerio Público exercises functional direction over all criminal investigations conducted by the Policía Nacional and any other LE auxiliary agency, including the authority to issue binding orders and to investigate and prosecute crimes committed by officers. Under Ley 113-21 (2021), the Ministerio Público directly administers the national penitentiary system through the DGSPC, replacing the prior Ley 224-84 framework. It has full evidence access and must publish annual institutional reports. It issues no administrative discipline but refers findings through prosecution.
Independence Scorecard
| Appointment | Executive appointment |
|---|---|
| Term length | 4 years |
| Removal standard | At will (weak protection) |
| Budget independence | Legislative line item |
| Subpoena power | Yes |
| Compel testimony | Yes |
| Records access | Full access |
| Public reports required | Yes |
| Pre-publication review | None — reports published directly |
Statute
- Name
- Constitución Política Arts. 169-172; Ley Orgánica No. 133-11 del Ministerio Público; Ley No. 113-21 del Sistema Penitenciario y Correccional
- Citation
- Const. Arts. 169-172; Ley 133-11 Arts. 1, 19-28; Ley 113-21
- Full text
- Full text of law →
Jurisdiction scope
Functional direction of all criminal investigations by the Policía Nacional and other auxiliary LE agencies; criminal prosecution of offences committed by law enforcement officers and corrections staff; direct institutional administration of the penitentiary and correctional system through the Dirección General de Servicios Penitenciarios y Correccionales (DGSPC) under Ley 113-21.