Brazilian Senate to Vote on Jorge Messias Supreme Court Nomination and Controversial PL Antifacção Bill
Brazil's Senate is set to vote on Jorge Messias's Supreme Court nomination and the contentious PL Antifacção bill, amid government tensions.
- • The Senate will vote on Jorge Messias's nomination to the Supreme Federal Court on December 3.
- • The Commission on Constitution and Justice will present the report on his nomination.
- • The PL Antifacção bill, already approved by the Chamber of Deputies, will be voted on this week in the Senate.
- • The bill has caused dissatisfaction within President Lula's government and the Federal Police due to investigative power changes.
Key details
On December 3, the Brazilian Senate is scheduled to vote on the nomination of Jorge Messias, currently the Attorney General of the Union, to the Supreme Federal Court (STF). The Commission on Constitution and Justice (CCJ) will first present the report prepared by Senator Weverton Rocha, a Democrat Labor Party member from Maranhão, related to Messias’s nomination. This vote is a significant step in confirming a new member to Brazil's highest court.
In addition to this, the Senate will also deliberate on the PL Antifacção bill, which has been a point of contention within the government. The bill, which has already passed the Chamber of Deputies, has provoked dissatisfaction from President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva's administration and the Federal Police. Concerns primarily stem from alterations in the bill regarding investigative powers, specifically changes that removed the requirement for gubernatorial approval for investigations into criminal organizations, a key issue for the Federal Police.
Federal Police Director Andrei Rodrigues notably canceled his participation in the COP30 climate conference in Belém to engage directly in discussions in Brasília, highlighting the bill's importance and the agency's unease. Despite initial tensions, negotiations led by the bill's rapporteur, Federal Deputy Guilherme Derrite, resulted in certain concessions.
Senate President Davi Alcolumbre has confirmed that the Senate will vote on the PL Antifacção this week. Political analysts suggest that the Senate, traditionally more aligned with the government, is unlikely to make significant changes to the bill's core provisions to avoid sending it back to the Chamber of Deputies.
These developments underscore a critical moment in Brazil's political landscape, balancing judicial appointments with heated legislative reforms on crime and public security.
This article was synthesized and translated from native language sources to provide English-speaking readers with local perspectives.