The plenary session of the Superior Electoral Court (TSE) of Brazil unanimously elected Judge Alexandre de Moraes as president from August, ahead of the country’s presidential elections, which will be held in October.
Moraes was confirmed in command at the TSE on Tuesday afternoon. The judge also holds a seat on the Federal Supreme Court, where he is rapporteur of several investigations involving the Brazilian presidentJair Bolsonaro.
His role as a judge in these investigations, which displeases the head of state, has already motivated an impeachment attempt promoted by Bolsonaro, but which did not prosper.
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Moraes, who served as Minister of Justice between May 2016 and February 2017 in the government of former President Michel Temer, will replace Judge Edson Fachin and will command the TSE until June 2024.
The vice president of the Brazilian electoral court will be Judge Ricardo Lewandowski.
The plenary session of the TSE is made up of seven judges, three of whom are appointed by the Federal Supreme Court, which acts as a constitutional court and also as the last instance of Brazilian justice.
The command of the TSE is always occupied by the members of the Federal Supreme Court.
The appointment of Moraes as head of electoral justice takes place at a time when Bolsonaro has been attacking this courtwhere he is investigated for spreading fake news.
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Following his appointment, Moraes commented that Brazilian voters “do not deserve the proliferation of hate speech and fraudulent news” and added that he will not tolerate “personal and digital militias” attacking democracy in Brazil.
The new president of the TSE promised “efficiency, security, transparency and respect for popular sovereignty” a few months before the next general elections in Brazil scheduled for October and about which Bolsonaro, without presenting evidence, tries to sow doubts by questioning the impartiality of the court and voting machines.
According to an investigation by the Federal Police, the Brazilian president has also benefited from the action of the so-called digital militias, which systematically act in his favor by spreading false information and attacking the institutions of the Brazilian State.
Source: Observadora
