Brazil’s Senate blocks Lula’s Supreme Court nominee, first rejection in 132 years

SAO PAULO (AP) — Brazil’s Senate dealt a political blow to President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva on Wednesday by rejecting his nomination to the Supreme Court, the first in more than 130 years.

Only 34 senators voted in favor of Jorge Messias, who has been Brazil’s solicitor-general since 2023 and a close legal advisor to Lula, while another 42 rejected his appointment. Messias needed 41 votes to be approved.

Lula, who is seeking reelection in October for his fourth inconsecutive term, picked Messias to replace Luís Roberto Barroso, who resigned in November. Since then, Brazil’s top court has operated with 10 members.

Earlier, 46-year-old Messias was approved by a Senate commission, but the full house disagreed in a secret vote.

Besides Lula, other members of the court were openly campaigning for the solicitor-general, who also tried to garner votes from lawmakers of Evangelical faith like him.

Brazil’s president will have to nominate another person, who will have to go through the same scrutiny before the Senate votes again.

The last time Brazil’s Senate rejected a Supreme Court nominee was in 1894, when the country’s second ever president, Floriano Peixoto, was at odds with lawmakers.