The Puerto Rico Ombudsman is a government position created by statute in 1977 during the administration of Governor Carlos Romero Barceló to provide citizens with an office that could receive and investigate complaints regarding the proper functioning of government agencies and the level of service to the public. The Ombudsman is appointed by the Governor of Puerto Rico to a ten-year term and requires the advice and consent of both the Senate and the House of Representatives of Puerto Rico. The Ombudsman's salary is equal to that of a Court of Appeals judge, currently $105,000 per year.
The current acting Ombudsman, is former Deputy Director of the Office of Legislative Services, Kevin Miguel Rivera. His predecessor was former representative Carlos López Nieves. On February 12, 2010, Governor Luis Fortuño appointed representative Iris Miriam Ruiz to a full term as "Ombudswoman".[1]