The appointment to the (Supreme Federal Court) of yet another white man, in full, frustrated organizations and activists who demanded the president (PT) to expand the diversity of the court.
While awaiting approval from the next minister to complete the training of 11 magistrates, the court currently has only one woman, , and a majority of white men — and they declare themselves mixed race.
Messias, who will occupy the vacancy that belonged to , is the third man nominated to the STF by Lula in this third term. Before, the PT member had already nominated Dino.
Since Barroso announced that he would bring forward his retirement, organizations that defend equal conditions of access for women and black people have organized themselves in manifestos and public events to pressure Lula to join the agenda — which is the PT’s electoral banner.
However, although the PT member signed decrees declaring areas of social interest for expropriation of land from quilombola communities in 14 states, Lula chose the same date for the appointment of the Union’s attorney general, a trusted assistant, to the Supreme Court, failing to meet the demands of these groups.
“We imagined that progressive forces would correct, or would have a different attitude towards this situation [de falta de representatividade]. And we, then, in a saddened way, also in a disappointing way, are realizing that, for some types of purposes, left, right, progressive, conservative, they have an interest that goes beyond these assumptions of this democratization [de espaços de comando]”, said lawyer José Vicente, rector of the Zumbi dos Palmares University — this Thursday’s holiday is in memory of the leader who formed the largest Brazilian quilombo during the slavery period.
“The Republic loses, society loses, the country loses and, above all, the Brazilian people lose, who will no longer have a representative Supreme Court, a Supreme Court that is committed to society’s fight for more equality, for more justice, for more participation, for more inclusion and for more representation”, he added.
The Black Coalition for Rights and Black Women Decide movements, which already had a march called for the 25th, in Brasília, to persuade Lula to meet the demand, criticized the PT member on social media and reaffirmed the demonstration.
“The decision repeats a historical pattern of exclusion. For the 12th time since redemocratization, Brazil refuses to recognize the excellence, legitimacy and legacy of the black women who support this country,” said a statement released by the group, which also called on Lula for the support given to him in the last election.
“Next Tuesday, in Brasília, we will march for representation in the Judiciary, for more of us and for a Presidency of the Republic that does not despise us and listens to us”, states the text.
The Fórum Justiça, Plataforma Justa and Themis — Gênero e Justiça movements released a document saying that governments “that call themselves progressive” need to “transform their speeches into practices, ensuring that policies and institutional choices reflect the commitment to equality and democratic representation”.
Given Messias’ nomination, the entities demanded that Lula respect diversity beyond the STF.
“We demand from the President of the Republic a formal and transparent commitment to gender and racial parity in the next appointments, not only to the STF, but also to other higher courts and leadership positions in the Justice system”, says the text.
