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Brazil Senate approves Bolsonaro-backed pastor for Supreme Court

AFP

The Brazilian Senate on Wednesday approved a Presbyterian pastor for a seat on the Supreme Court in a win for far-right President Jair Bolsonaro, who had promised to appoint a “terribly evangelical” judge to the top court.

By 47 votes to 32, the Senate backed former justice minister Andre Mendonca, 48, who from mid-December will occupy the 11th seat of the Supreme Court in Brasilia, replacing a judge who retired in July.

The appointment of Mendonca was hailed by conservatives, as the court adjudicates on hot-button issues such as the rights of minorities, abortion, drugs and access to weapons.

“My commitment to bring to the Supreme Court a ‘terribly evangelical’ (judge) was delivered today,” Bolsonaro tweeted Wednesday evening.

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During his confirmation hearing before the Senate’s Constitution and Justice Committee, Mendonca confirmed his support the secularism in the Brazilian government.

“In life, the Bible; in the Supreme Court, the Constitution,” he said.

“Although I am an evangelical, there is no space for public religious demonstrations during the sessions of the Supreme Federal Court.”

“I will defend the constitutional right of civil marriage for people of the same sex,” he added in response to a question posed by a senator.

Mendonca has been a member of the government since Bolsonaro came to power in January 2019 with firm support among evangelicals, a fast-growing segment in Brazil. according to a January 2020 Datafolha survey, it already represents 31 percent of the population.

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Law professor Michael Mohallem told AFP the appointment was “political” and represented a victory for Bolsonaro heading into the 2022 elections.

“It allows him to retain the electoral support of the evangelicals and it will also be seen as a sign that Bolsonaro still controls the majority in the Senate when he needs it,” he said.

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International

Brazil’s Lula wishes Trump a successful term focused on prosperity and peace

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva wished the new U.S. President, Donald Trump, a “successful” term that promotes “prosperity and well-being for the U.S. people” and “a fairer and more peaceful world.”

“On behalf of the Brazilian government, I congratulate President Donald Trump on his inauguration,” said the progressive leader on his social media, shortly after Trump took the oath of office at the Capitol in Washington.

Lula, 79, highlighted that the relationship between Brazil and the United States, one of its most important trade partners, is “marked by a history of cooperation, based on mutual respect and historical friendship.”

“Our countries maintain strong ties in various areas such as trade, science, education, and culture. I am confident that we can continue to make progress in these and other areas,” he added.

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International

Iran hopes U.S. will adopt realistic approaches under Trump administration

Iran declared on Monday that it hopes the new U.S. administration under Donald Trump will adopt “realistic approaches” toward Tehran and show “respect” for the interests of the countries in the region.

The Republican tycoon will take the oath for his second term as president of the United States on Monday at noon Washington time (17:00 GMT).

“We hope that the approaches and policies of the new U.S. government will be realistic and based on respect for the interests… of the countries in the region, including the Iranian nation,” said the spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Esmaeil Baqaei, during a weekly press briefing.

During his first term (2017-2021), Trump implemented a “maximum pressure” policy toward Iran.

In 2018, under his administration, the United States withdrew from the international nuclear deal with Iran, concluded three years earlier, which offered Tehran relief from sanctions in exchange for assurances that the country would not seek to acquire nuclear weapons. Tehran denies any such intentions.

In response, Tehran significantly increased its stockpile of enriched materials and raised the enrichment threshold to 60%, approaching the 90% required to produce an atomic bomb, according to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

Tehran, which has expressed a desire to relaunch negotiations to revive the deal, defends its right to nuclear energy for peaceful purposes and denies any intention to develop nuclear weapons.

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International

Trump to sign executive order recognizing only two sexes

Donald Trump will sign an executive order instructing his administration to “recognize” the existence of only “two sexes,” future White House officials announced on Monday, just before the Republican’s inauguration.

“What we are doing today is defining that the policy of the United States is to recognize two sexes: male and female,” said the official, speaking to the press on the condition of anonymity.

The aim of the decree is “to defend women against the ideological extremism of gender and to restore biological truth within the Federal Government,” the official added, explaining that a person’s sexual identity will be defined solely by the gametes they possess.

During his campaign, Trump repeatedly promised to put an end to the “transgender delusion.”

The elected president also plans to eliminate federal funding for programs supporting diversity in the administration, the same officials from his incoming cabinet stated.

“We are going to end this type of funding, we are going to put an end to these programs,” said one source from the future team, speaking anonymously about antiracism and diversity training courses.

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