Lula confirms nomination of Cristiano Zanin to the STF – 01/06/2023 – Politics

President Lula (PT) confirmed this Thursday (1st) the appointment of his lawyer and personal friend Cristiano Zanin to the STF (Federal Supreme Court).

“I think everyone expected me to nominate Zanin not only because of the role he played in my defense, but simply because I think Zanin will become a great minister of the Supreme Court of this country,” he said.

And he continued: “I know his qualities as a lawyer, I know his qualities as a head of family and I know his background. He will be an exceptional minister of the STF if approved by the Senate and I believe he will be and I think Brazil will be proud to have the Zanin as Minister of the Supreme Court”.

Lula had met with the lawyer on the night of this Wednesday (31), at the Planalto Palace, and warned authorities, such as the president of the Senate, Rodrigo Pacheco (PSD-MG), who would announce the choice for the vacancy.

47-year-old Paulista, Zanin became Lula’s lawyer in 2013 and became known for defending the PT in Lava Jato processes.

Zanin will take over the seat left by Ricardo Lewandowski, who reached the age limit to act on the court on May 11, but anticipated his retirement to April.

Now, the lawyer will have to be approved by the full Senate to take office in court. Before, he will be questioned by the CCJ (Commission of Constitution and Justice) of the House.

Zanin was appointed as the favorite to be appointed to the court since Lula won the elections in 2022. In March of this year, the president, in yet another indication that he intended to appoint his lawyer, said in an interview that “everyone would understand” if he chose it.

The lawyer approached Lula because he was married to Valeska Martins, daughter of Roberto Teixeira, a friend and former lawyer of the PT candidate.

Zanin’s combative profile in relation to Lava Jato has always pleased the current president. The lawyer starred in clashes with former judge Sergio Moro, who was responsible for Lava Jato and condemned Lula; and also with members of the TRF-4 (Federal Regional Court of the 4th Region), which analyzed first instance decisions against Lula.

He always insisted on the thesis that Lula was innocent and that he should fight until the end to shelve all the lawsuits. On the eve of the PT’s arrest, in 2018, part of the president’s allies defended the thesis that he should accept going to house arrest as a way to avoid the closed regime.

The idea arose shortly before the STF judgment that assessed the habeas corpus presented by Lula that could prevent him from being arrested due to the conviction by the TRF-4 — at the time, case law determined that the sentences should be executed after a second instance decision.

The PT even hired former Supreme Minister Sepúlveda Pertence to defend him under the argument, behind the scenes, that he had more weight than Zanin to act before the top of the Judiciary in Brazil.

Zanin has always rejected the idea of ​​accepting a middle ground that would leave PT members trapped at home. Lula followed his lawyer and, after spending 580 days in prison, was released. He later had his convictions overturned and resumed his eligibility, which allowed him to be elected president in 2022.

In 2020, the lawyer’s house became the subject of a search and seizure by order of Judge Marcelo Bretas, at the time responsible for Lava Jato in Rio de Janeiro.

The case investigated alleged fraud in contracts with Sistema S and Fecomercio do RJ, but was locked in 2022.

Bretas, in turn, was removed from office by the CNJ (National Council of Justice) in February this year in cases that determine whether the magistrate had misconduct in negotiations for award-winning plea bargains.

Before being confirmed, Zanin’s nomination sparked controversy in the political world in recent months because of the proximity between the president and his lawyer. In addition to oppositionists, names like former STF president Carlos Ayres Britto, himself appointed to the court in the PT’s first term in 2003, criticize the initiative.

In last year’s election campaign, Lula said that it would not be democratic to have Supreme Court ministers as friends. “I think the Supreme Court has to be chosen for competence, for curriculum, and not for friendship,” he said.