Brazil’s former Federal Attorney General takes office as Supreme Court Justice

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Former Federal Attorney General André Mendonça was sworn in yesterday, December 16, as a Federal Supreme Court (STF) Justice. Nominated by President Jair Bolsonaro and approved by the Senate, Mendonça will fill the seat vacated by Justice Marco Aurélio, sworn in in 1990 and retired in July this year when turning 75.

This is Bolsonaro’s second nomination to the Supreme Court. Last year, the President nominated Justice Nunes Marques to Celso de Mello’s chair, who also retired.

The ceremony took approximately 15 minutes. President Jair Bolsonaro, first lady Michelle Bolsonaro, vice-president Hamilton Mourão, the presidents of the Chamber of Deputies Arthur Lira and of the Senate Rodrigo Pacheco attended the ceremony, among other officials.

As in all inauguration ceremonies, the session was opened by the STF Chief Justice Luiz Fux, and the National Anthem was played. Then, Justices Ricardo Lewandowski and Nunes Marques, the oldest and the youngest, respectively, led Mendonça to the plenary.

There, the new Justice took his oath of office. “I promise to well and faithfully fulfill the duties of the office of Supreme Court Justice, in accordance with the Constitution and the laws of the Republic.”

Mendonça signed the oath of office and was pronounced sworn in. The Justice did not make a speech.

The inauguration was held in person, but with a restricted number of people in the Court due to the distancing rules because of the Covid-19 pandemic. About 60 people attended, including relatives and guests. All were required to present a vaccine certificate or proof of a negative PCR test.

The Justice’s work in the Court sessions will effectively begin in February, when the Supreme Court returns from its year-end recess, which starts this weekend. In addition to the plenary, he will sit on the Second Panel.

André Mendonça, 46, was born in Santos. He was a federal attorney, admitted through a public contest. He graduated from the Bauru Law School (SP) and holds a doctor’s degree in Law and Global Governance and a master’s degree in Anti-Corruption Strategies and Integrity Policies from the University of Salamanca, Spain.