The Brazilian Senate rejected the nomination of Attorney General Jorge Messias to the Supreme Federal Court on April 29, 2026 [1].
This vote marks a rare legislative victory over the executive branch and signals a deepening divide between President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and the upper house. The rejection disrupts the administration's effort to shape the nation's highest court.
Messias received 34 votes in favor, while 42 senators voted against his appointment [4]. This result represents the first time in 132 years that the Senate has defeated a presidential nominee for a seat on the Supreme Federal Court [2].
Speaking to the press in Brasília following the vote, Messias said his nomination process was a targeted effort to undermine his reputation. He said that he underwent a process of "deconstruction, with lies," and added that "we know who commanded" the effort [1].
Messias did not name specific individuals during the briefing but said he knows who promoted the campaign against him [3].
Opposition members viewed the vote as a broader indictment of the current administration. Senator Flávio Bolsonaro said the outcome represents "the end of the Lula government" [5].
President Lula had nominated Messias to fill a vacancy on the STF, but the nomination faced stiff resistance from opposition senators who coordinated to block the appointment [2]. The Attorney General remains in his current role as Advogado‑Geral da União while the administration considers its next move.
“"Passamos por um processo de desconstrução, com mentiras. Sabemos quem comandou."”
The rejection of Jorge Messias is a significant institutional shift in Brazil, breaking a century-long precedent of Senate approval for Supreme Court nominees. By blocking a direct appointee of President Lula, the Senate has asserted its independence and signaled that the administration lacks the political capital necessary to secure key judicial appointments, potentially leading to a period of legislative gridlock.
