Following the rejection of Jorge Rodrigo Araújo Messias’s nomination to the Federal Supreme Court (STF) on Wednesday (29), the government’s leader in Congress, Senator Randolfe Rodrigues (PT-AP), stated that the relationship between the Executive Branch and Congress will not change.
— The relationship remains the same. We have had victories and defeats in the Senate, in Congress, and in the Chamber of Deputies, and the relationship has not changed. (…) It has not changed and will not change; it will remain the same institutional relationship.
According to the leader, the outcome did not depend on the nominee’s answers during the confirmation hearing. Messias, according to Randolfe, met all the necessary requirements for the position, and the nomination was rejected due to political circumstances.
Messias’s nomination is the third made by President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva during the current administration and was not planned: it became necessary following the announcement of Justice Luís Roberto Barroso’s early retirement in October 2025. According to Randolfe, the vote was rushed due to the approaching election season. The nomination was rejected by a vote of 42 to 34.
“I wouldn’t say it was a surprise, because we already expected it to be a close vote, and in a vote that we consider close, there may be a reduced number of votes in favor,” said the leader, who regretted the vote but stated that the result must be respected.
Senator Weverton (PDT-MA), the rapporteur for Jorge Messias’s nomination, acknowledged that the vote’s outcome was “a defeat for the government.” The senator said, however, that President Lula is not expected to nominate another candidate to the Federal Supreme Court (STF) immediately.
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“Some time ago, he (Lula) had already told me that he wouldn’t nominate another candidate if this happened. So, let’s not discuss names. What’s being discussed is that they inflicted a defeat on a person who had nothing to do with the electoral process. They committed a huge injustice against Justice Messias,” said Weverton.
Defeat
For the leader of the opposition, Senator Rogério Marinho (PL-RN), the rejection of Jorge Messias’s nomination represents a defeat for President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
“We worked to defeat Minister Jorge Messias. Nothing personal against him. But against what he represents at this moment. Today marks the end of ‘Lula 3.’ He loses credibility and the ability to coordinate. He even loses the legitimacy to lead a negotiation process in the Senate. Without a doubt, the government suffers a crushing defeat today,” he stated.
For the chairman of the CCJ, Senator Otto Alencar (PSD-BA), a senator’s right to vote is the same as that of any voter. He said he voted in favor of Messias, whom he believes is fully qualified to serve as a Supreme Court justice. The senator also mentioned that he gave Messias a hug of solidarity, describing him as “a brilliant public servant.”
“Everyone votes as they see fit. That’s how democracy works. I’m very sorry, but that chapter is closed,” Otto declared.
