The defeat imposed by the president (PT) with the rejection of his appointment as minister of the (Supreme Federal Court) aroused the fury of government supporters against (-AP), president of the House.
Some of Lula’s allies speak of a declaration of war between the government and the presidency of the Senate. One of the ideas defended in this sector is a government offensive in Amapá, state of Alcolumbre, to reduce the power of the senator’s political group.
Another wing considers that a break is not viable because the PT member still needs to approve projects in Congress before the election, such as the end of the six-day work schedule for one rest day.
The consensus among these sectors is that the relationship between the PT member and Alcolumbre will be terrible and without trust. Not even former president Dilma Rousseff (PT), who was impeached in 2016, had a nominee for the court rejected by the Senate – this had not happened since 1894.
Opponents estimate that, as a result, the government will be irreversibly weakened in the Senate.
Alcolumbre has been against Messias’ appointment since the end of last year, when the announcement was made by the government. He wished Lula had chosen the former president of the Senate (PSB-MG).
Right at the beginning of the discussion, the president of the Senate indicated behind the scenes that he would work against the nominee and suggested to allies the possibility of leaving the vote until after the presidential election.
In recent weeks, government officials assessed that Alcolumbre’s resistance had cooled. The analysis was that he was not helping, but had stopped striving for rejection.
The interpretation was not correct. Senators reported to the Sheet who, on dates close to the vote, as minister of the STF. The president of the Senate denies having acted against Lula’s nominee.
The government leader in Congress, Randolfe Rodrigues (PT-AP), told journalists that Alcolumbre had no role in the government’s defeat. “The relationship will continue institutionally,” he declared.
In the days before the vote, several senators assessed that Messias was at risk of being rejected. The only thing that could guarantee approval, according to this reasoning, would be a gesture from Alcolumbre in favor of Lula’s nominee.
Government allies wonder what motivated Alcolumbre to escalate friction with Lula to this point. He and the PT member were building an alliance in Amapá to contain a growing Bolsonaro political group in the state.
The defeat also wears out the government leader in the Senate, Jaques Wagner (PT-BA), and the Minister of Institutional Relations, José Guimarães (PT). The Executive’s political articulation, led by them, predicted in recent days that Messias would have 45 votes and be approved.
STF ministers are appointed by the President of the Republic, but the appointment is only completed if approved by the Senate. At least 41 votes in favor are required for a nominee to be approved.
Senators interviewed by the report also interpret that Messias’ rejection increases the tension between the House and at least part of the STF. Ministers such as André Mendonça, Kassio Nunes Marques and Gilmar Mendes had been campaigning in favor of Lula’s nominee.
André Mendonça is the rapporteur of the investigations into pension diversion at INSS and financial fraud at Banco Master. Nunes Marques is in charge of the Overclean operation. The three rapporteurs are politically sensitive.
