Insider

New justice minister Lewandowski pays lip service to predecessor

From left to right: Justice Minister Ricardo Lewandowski, President Lula, and soon-to-be Supreme Court Justice Flávio Dino. Photo: Fabio Rodrigues-Pozzebom/ Agência Brasil

Former Supreme Court Justice Ricardo Lewandowski took office as justice minister on Thursday, promising to give “continuity” to the “excellent work” of outgoing minister Flávio Dino and his team — even though he has decided to replace most of the ministry’s top staff.

The Brazilian Report confirmed with the ministry’s press office that Mr. Lewandowski will keep Elias Vaz, a former congressman, as undersecretary for legislative affairs, but most of the top echelon will be replaced. Several of them are members of the center-left Brazilian Socialist Party (PSB), which is losing space in the Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva administration.

Last year, Mr. Vaz took responsibility for a meeting with the wife of a leading drug trafficker who advocates for the rights of prisoners and their family.

A month after leaving the Supreme Court in early 2023, Mr. Lewandowski was announced as a legal advisor to J&F Group, which owns JBS, the world’s largest meatpacker. J&F and its owners, Joesley and Wesley Batista, have several cases before the Supreme Court.

In December, Justice Dias Toffoli suspended a BRL 10.3 billion (USD 2.1 billion) fine imposed on J&F as part of a leniency agreement signed in 2017. His wife, Roberta Rangel, is a lawyer for the J&F group, although she did not sign the petition analyzed by her husband.

During his speech at the presidential palace, Mr. Lewandowski thanked his former colleague for attending the ceremony, saying he was “very grateful” for his presence.

During his time on the Supreme Court (2006-2023), Mr. Lewandowski served from the bench as an ardent supporter of the Workers’ Party.

He was the reviewing judge in the lengthy Mensalão scandal case, which involved a vote-buying scheme that encouraged members of Congress to vote for legislation sponsored by Lula’s party in exchange for monthly stipends.

His lenient stance helped the defendants get shorter sentences and, as a result, earlier release. When former Chief of Staff José Dirceu was arrested in 2015 by the Operation Car Wash anti-corruption task force, he was under house arrest after serving less than a year in prison for his Mensalão conviction.

The outgoing minister, Flávio Dino, will himself take a seat on the Supreme Court on February 22.