Lula says he is in no hurry and avoids committing to nominating a black man or woman to the STF – 06/04/2023 – Politics

President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) said this Thursday (6) that he is in no hurry and has not committed himself to nominating a woman or a black man as a minister of the STF (Federal Supreme Court).

The president’s statement, made during breakfast with journalists at the Planalto Palace, takes place on the same day that Lula published the retirement decree of Minister Ricardo Lewandowski, of the STF, in the Official Gazette.

“If it’s going to be black, if it’s going to be a woman, if it’s going to be a man, it’s a criterion that I’m going to take into account when choosing. But I won’t give you any reference, because if I give a reference, I’ll be stamping the future person who will be the Minister of the Supreme Court”, said the Chief Executive.

Lula said that his nominee will be a person “highly qualified, from a legal point of view”, and who has social sensitivity. The Chief Executive also said that he will choose a minister who will not cast his vote “in the press”, but in the case file.

“The choice of his replacement will be made by me whenever I think it has to be done. It’s no use to keep planting a name, trying to sell a candidate through the press, that’s not how you choose a minister of the Supreme Court. (…) No there’s a date, not a month. I’m not in a hurry to choose,” he added.

The procedure is part of the procedures for the magistrate’s retirement, which was already announced for April. From now on, the representative can officially indicate the replacement for the vacancy.

The minister announced, on the 30th, that he would retire on April 11, one month before the deadline for him to leave the court.

The president’s favorite for the vacancy is Cristiano Zanin, who acted as his lawyer in the Lava Jato Operation cases.

The possible nomination has been discussed behind the scenes since the election campaign, but Lula himself has been speaking publicly about his lawyer’s chances.

In early March, in an interview with BandNews, the president stated that “everyone would understand” if he nominated Zanin to the STF.

Afterwards, Lula told the Brasil 247 portal that he still does not know who he will nominate and that he has no commitment to any candidate. On the other hand, she exalted the defender of her processes related to Operation Lava Jato.

“Zanin was the great legal revelation in recent years. Zanin was heavily criticized [ao fazer a defesa de Lula na Lava Jato]because I wasn’t a criminalist, a lot of people asked me ‘you have to hire so-and-so’, a lot of people from my party really”, he said.

On that occasion, Lula also commented on the eventual establishment of mandates for ministers of the Supreme Court. He said he “will discuss” the subject, although he did not take a position when asked about this format.