Zanin’s articulation includes bolsonaristas and evangelicals – 06/07/2023 – Politics

Nominated by President Lula (PT) for a vacancy in the STF (Federal Supreme Court), lawyer Cristiano Zanin has been talking to opposition senators, including evangelicals and Bolsonarists, in search of support for the vote on his confirmation in the Senate.

Zanin had lunch on Tuesday (6) with the president of the evangelical group in the Senate, Carlos Viana (Podemos-MG), and federal deputy Sóstenes Cavalcante (PL-RJ), former president of the Evangelical Parliamentary Front of Congress. At the meeting, he dealt with themes considered dear to the religious segment.

A day earlier, he spoke with the leader of the PL in the Senate, Carlos Portinho (RJ), and Senator Jorge Seif (PL-SC), former Secretary of Fisheries in the Jair Bolsonaro government (PL).

The expectation is that Zanin will be questioned by the CCJ (Commission on Constitution and Justice) of the Senate on June 28th. After approval by the committee, the lawyer’s name can be voted on by the full House on the same day or shortly thereafter.

The Lula government wanted Zanin to be approved by June 21, but agreed that the Senate should be empty on that date because of the June festivities, which mobilize parliamentarians from the Northeast.

Next week, the government wants to submit Zanin to an informal hearing with senators from the allied base. The same should be done with the executive secretary of the Ministry of Finance, Gabriel Galípolo, nominated for a BC (Central Bank) board.

In the case of Lula’s lawyer, the idea is not only to prepare him for the tougher questions that can be asked at the CCJ, but also to reduce doubts from allied parliamentarians to shorten the duration of the sabbath —in 2015, Minister Edson Fachin’s lasted 12 hours.

Zanin has also agreed to meet next week with the leader of the PDT, Cid Gomes (CE), and with the PSD bench, the largest in the House. The meeting with the PSD was Zanin’s request to the group’s leader, senator Otto Alencar (BA).

“I had a conversation with him Saturday by phone. I talked to him like I talked to others. It is a nomination from the president, as it was from Bolsonaro. Normally, no one indicates an enemy. [ministro] Cassio [Nunes Marques]same thing”, says Otto.

Senators from Lula’s allied base calculate that Zanin should have around 55 votes, 14 more than necessary. In the vote for President of the Senate —which has been used as a parameter on the size of the base—, Rodrigo Pacheco (PSD-MG) received 49 votes.

Both the president of the Senate and the president of the CCJ, Senator Davi Alcolumbre (União Brasil-AP), have told the Planalto Palace that Zanin should be approved easily. Jair Bolsonaro’s PL, for example, tends to free senators to vote the way they want.

One of the expectations, however, is the meeting on Saturday between Zanin and Sergio Moro (União Brasil-PR), one of the 27 holders of the CCJ. In Lula’s defense during Operation Lava Jato, Zanin already took as “compliment” a criticism made in an ironic tone by the then Lava Jato judge.

Asked by Sheet if he had already been sought out by Zanin and if he would be willing to receive him, Moro avoided the conversation. “You have to ask Zanin if he looked for me or not. I’ll owe you that one. [Sobre recebê-lo] It’s a hypothetical situation, I’d rather not comment.”

In recent days, Lula’s lawyer had lunch and dinner with parliamentarians in search of votes.

According to reports, the meeting on Monday (5) with Carlos Portinho and Jorge Seif, both from Bolsonaro’s PL, occurred by chance. The two senators were having dinner at a restaurant in Brasilia when Zanin arrived. The three then talked and, according to people who were present, the lawyer listened more than he spoke.

For lunch the next day with evangelicals, Zanin reached the bench president, Carlos Viana, through the president of Podemos, federal deputy Renata Abreu (SP). PT Senator Rogério Carvalho (PT-SE) was also present.

According to people who participated in the meeting, the lawyer was questioned about topics such as abortion, same-sex marriage and the decriminalization of drugs — the latter of which is due to be tried again by the court later this year.

According to reports, Zanin declared that he is in favor of keeping the current legislation on abortion – neither expanding nor removing rights – and said that same-sex marriage is well established in the country.

The lawyer also made himself available to talk to the other members of the Senate’s evangelical bench and said that he still did not feel approved. Lunch made a good impression on the group.

On the same day, at night, the nominee went to a dinner at the house of former senator Kátia Abreu (PP-TO), which was attended by Gilmar Mendes and Dias Toffoli, ministers of the STF, and Bruno Dantas, president of the TCU (Tribunal de Union Accounts).

Senators Randolfe Rodrigues (Rede-AP), leader of the government in Congress, Jaques Wagner (PT-BA), leader in the Senate, Renan Calheiros (MDB-AL) and Weverton Rocha (PDT-MA) were also there.

On the occasion, political scientist Antonio Lavareda gave an explanation of the political scenario. Zanin was called at the last minute, according to participants.

According to allies, Werverton should promote a dinner for Zanin next week with the presence of more parliamentarians.

Alcolumbre has not yet defined who will be the rapporteur for the nomination at the CCJ, but is among five names: Renan, Weverton, Veneziano Vital do Rêgo (MDB-PB), Jader Barbalho (MDB-PA) and Efraim Filho (União Brasil-PB).

Senators are mainly committed to helping the nominee win votes in the opposition. The expectation is that he seeks out all party leaders for individual meetings.

Despite the opening that has been given by Bolsonarists, Zanin still finds criticism among oppositionists in the Senate. Senator Magno Malta (PL-ES) told the Sheet who intends to vote against Lula’s nominee.

Last week, opposition leader Rogério Marinho (PL-RN) was also critical. “The question of the breach of impersonality, in our opinion, is not the fact that he was a lawyer [de Lula]but it’s the personal relationship he has with the president,” he said.