Brazil's Defensoria Pública Secures Exam Contract and Appoints New Ombudsman

The Defensoria Pública do Estado de São Paulo signed a contract with Fundação Carlos Chagas on 2 July 2026 to run the upcoming public‑defender selection process. The agreement, lasting until 2 January 2028, covers all stages of the competition, which will offer 70 vacancies with an initial salary of R$29,716.

The Defensoria Pública da União’s Conselho Superior chose attorney Willian Fernandes as the new Ouvidor‑Geral. Fernandes, a former São Paulo public‑defender ombudsman and doctoral candidate at FGV, was selected in a public meeting, a decision that has been criticised for a lack of transparency.