Ricardo Lewandowski is announced as Minister of Justice

Decision

Lewandowski retired from the STF in April, and will hold the portfolio in place of Flávio Dino

President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) announced, this Thursday (11), Ricardo Lewandowski, retired minister of the Federal Supreme Court (STF), as the new Minister of Justice and Public Security. The jurist takes over from Flávio Dino, who leaves the department to occupy a vacancy at the Supreme Court.

“It’s a very happy day, I want to tell the Brazilian people that they will win with these two lineups. One in the Supreme Court, and the other in the Justice”,

declared President Lula, alongside Dino and Lewandowski, gathered at Planalto.

Lewandowski met with Lula and Dino at Palácio da Alvorada, on Wednesday (10), to finalize the details of his appointment as the new Minister of Justice. The invitation and announcement were formalized after a meeting at Planalto, this Thursday.

According to the head of the Federal Executive, it was agreed that Lewandowski will take office on February 1st. Dino, in turn, takes up his seat at the Supreme Court on February 22nd.

During the announcement, Lula also stressed that the new head of Justice and Public Security will have the freedom to set up his own team in the department, amid the impasse over the future of the department’s executive secretary, Ricardo Cappelli. According to the PT member, he is not in the habit of interfering in the positions of ministries.

“I say to people ‘set up your government, when you have the government set up, you look for me and I’ll see if I have things against anyone or any recommendations to make’”,

declared during the announcement.

After 17 years as a STF minister, Lewandowski left the Court in April this year, shortly before turning 75, where he left an extensive legacy. Over the period, it played an important role in historical processes, with approximately 200 thousand decisions, including monocratic and collegial decisions.

Flavio Dino will leave as head of the department this week. The former governor of Maranhão had his name approved by the Federal Senate and will take over Rosa Weber’s seat in the STF. The minister’s inauguration is scheduled for February 22. Meanwhile, he resumes his role as senator for Maranhão.

Candidates

In addition to the former president of the STF, the deputy head of Legal Affairs, Wellington César Lima e Silva, was also considered for the position; the executive secretary of the Ministry of Justice, Ricardo Cappelli; and lawyer Marco Aurélio de Carvalho.

Lula even considered appointing a woman to head the ministry, but did not go ahead with the proposal. He even sounded out the president of the PT, deputy Gleisi Hoffmann, who denied the invitation because she did not see herself in the role and preferred to be at the head of the party. The conversation between the two took place in November.

Legacy at the STF

During his time at the Supreme Court, Lewandowski had a decisive vote in important actions, such as the Mensalão trial, Lava Jato, the issue of racial quotas and the implementation of custody hearings.

He was also President of the Court during the impeachment trial of then President Dilma Rousseff (PT).

The minister was appointed in the first term of Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) as president of the Republic, in 2006. He occupied the seat left by Carlos Velloso, who was appointed by former president Fernando Henrique Cardoso (PSDB).

*With information from Metrópoles

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