The opposition-controlled Brazilian Senate on Wednesday rejected the nomination of a Supreme Court justice put forward by leftist President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, LETA reported citing AFP.
In a closed Senate vote, Lula's nominee Jorge Messias received 34 votes in favor and 42 against. This is the first time in 132 years that a nominee for one of the 11 Supreme Court justice positions has been rejected. He needed the support of 41 senators to be confirmed.
Messias, who is currently Brazil's Attorney General, played a key role in implementing Lula's legal policies, including tightening regulations on social media.
A close ally of Lula, Messias attempted to garner support from lawmakers by positioning himself as a moderate evangelical Christian. However, the vote on his nomination effectively turned into a referendum on the government and the Supreme Court.
The Supreme Court's decisions have caused political tension. Last year, the court found former President Jair Bolsonaro guilty of plotting a coup to retain power after losing the 2022 presidential election and sentenced him to 27 years in prison.
The reputation of the Supreme Court has recently been undermined by revelations of connections between several justices and a banker accused of fraud involving tens of millions of dollars.
Lula will run for a fourth presidential term in October, and his opponent will be Senator Flávio Bolsonaro — the son of the convicted former president.
