Senate President Davi Alcolumbre canceled the hearing for Jorge Messias, President Lula's nominee to the Supreme Federal Court, amid a petty dispute with the government. The decision, made on Tuesday (December 2), reflects low-level political bargaining in the nomination process.
The nomination of Jorge Messias to the STF, favored by Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT), has reproduced practices of political horse-trading, according to an analysis in Folha de S.Paulo. Senate President Davi Alcolumbre (União Brasil) claims the post for his predecessor, Rodrigo Pacheco (PSD-MG), escalating the dispute to vexatious levels.
On Tuesday (December 2), Alcolumbre canceled the hearing scheduled for December 10 in the Senate's Constitution and Justice Committee (CCJ). The date was allegedly chosen to prevent the nominee from overcoming parliamentary resistance in time. In response, the Planalto Palace did not send the formal nomination paperwork, leading Alcolumbre to back down.
This is not Alcolumbre's first such attempt. During Jair Bolsonaro's (PL) government, he delayed André Mendonça's hearing for over four months before approval, preferring Augusto Aras, who had a controversial tenure as head of the Federal Public Prosecutor's Office (PGR).
The Constitution requires the Senate to scrutinize nominees for unimpeachable reputation and notable legal knowledge. However, choices like Messias and Mendonça appear based on loyalty to the executive, not curriculum. The current clash involves bargaining and reprisals, with even STF justices advocating for candidates at Brasília dinners, a conduct deemed improper.
Despite recent errors, the STF has shown independence in cases like the mensalão scandal and Bolsonaro's conviction for a coup attempt. Weakening it for short-term political interests marks a lasting setback for Brazil's democratic institutions.