Aras, Mendonça and Martins Move in The Final Stretch for A New Seat on The Supreme Court

Despite Mendonça being the favorite, Marco Aurélio's upcoming retirement intensifies behind-the-scenes articulations

Brasília

Brazil's attorney general, André Mendonça, is favored to be nominated by president Jair Bolsonaro (no party) to the Supreme Court to replace Minister Marco Aurélio, who will retire on July 5 at the age of 75.

Other candidates intensified their campaigns, however. There is resistance to the Attorney General in the Senate and the vacancy will be open soon.

DF - Brasilia - 29/04/2020 - Jair Bolsonaro with Andre Luiz de Almeida Mendonca. Foto: Mateus Bonomi/AGIF Foto: Mateus Bonomi/AGIF - Mateus Bonomi/AGIF

The president of the Superior Court of Justice, Humberto Martins, got backstage support from the National Association of Evangelical Jurists, which represents the religious current that the head of the Executive wants to include in the choice.

In addition, in recent months, the magistrate became close to senator Flávio Bolsonaro (Patriota-RJ), the most influential of the chief executive's sons, and also to Kassio Nunes Marques, the Supreme Court chief justice appointed by Bolsonaro.

The Attorney General of the Republic, Augusto Aras, maintains direct contact with senators, who have the role of guaranteeing the name indicated by the government, and bets on a good relationship with the political class to be chosen for the Supreme Court.

Translated by Kiratiana Freelon

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