President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva nominated Attorney-General Jorge Messias to fill the Supreme Court vacancy left by Luís Roberto Barroso. The announcement on November 20, 2025, Black Consciousness Day, drew praise from legal entities but criticism from groups advocating for greater diversity on the bench. In the Senate, the choice upset leaders and may hinder approval.
President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva nominated Jorge Messias to the STF after a meeting at the Palácio da Alvorada in Brasília. Messias, head of the Attorney-General's Office (AGU), is praised for his technical capacity and institutional dialogue by the Brazilian Federal Judges Association (Ajufe). The National Union of National Treasury Prosecutors (Sinprofaz) called the nomination a 'historical milestone,' the first time a treasury prosecutor reaches the court, valuing work in public asset defense.
'The Ajufe will be available to contribute to strengthening an independent Judiciary,' states the entity's note. Minister André Mendonça, also evangelical like Messias, congratulated the nomination and pledged support in Senate dialogue: 'Messias will have my full support in republican dialogue with the Senators'.
However, organizations like Fórum Justiça, Plataforma Justa, and Themis Gender and Justice criticized the choice for reinforcing exclusion of women and blacks in the Judiciary. Currently, the STF has only one woman, Cármen Lúcia, and a majority of white men. 'The decision repeats a historical pattern of exclusion,' says a joint statement, demanding gender and race parity in future nominations. Zumbi dos Palmares University rector José Vicente lamented: 'The Republic loses, society loses'.
Politically, Deputy Otoni de Paula (MDB-RJ) celebrated Messias as 'genuinely evangelical,' predicting balance on conservative issues. PL leader Sóstenes Cavalcante called him a 'prevaricator' and vowed to block the nomination with Alcolumbre. Senator Jorge Seif (PL-SC) criticized AGU actions under Messias, such as journalist persecution, stating that 'Christian faith does not serve as a shield'.
Senate President Davi Alcolumbre (União Brasil-AP), upset at not being consulted and preferring Rodrigo Pacheco, announced voting on government-unfriendly projects, like special retirement for health agents, with an estimated R$ 5.6 billion impact over five years. The bill goes to the plenary on November 25. Messias will face a hearing in the Constitution and Justice Committee (CCJ) and plenary vote, needing 41 votes for approval until 2055.