Supreme Court Chief Justice asked Brazil's judges to be treated with respect

Today (Oct. 25), the head of the National Council of Justice (CNJ) and the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court (STF), Justice Cármen Lúcia, asked respect for Brazilian judges. "Out of the record, it is not acceptable to diminish or demoralize any judge. As I said, when a judge is insulted, so am I," said the justice at the beginning of the CNJ 240ª Ordinary Session.

Yesterday (24), Senate President Renan Calheiros criticized the decision of federal judge Vallisney de Souza Oliveira, of the 10th Federal Court, when he authorized the arrest of congressional police director Pedro Ricardo Carvalho and three other Senate security officers, suspected of providing counterintelligence services to help senators probed under Car Wash and other operations. Calheiros has also criticized Justice Minister Alexandre de Moraes, who made negative comments on the congressional police for allegedly obstructing Car Wash operation.  

Calheiros said the federal judge was a "second-class judge" and said Moraes behaves, "at most", as a "minor police boss."

During the opening of the CNJ session, Cármen Lúcia defended the balance among the powers, and said that judges are essential for democracy and that there is no need to questioning beyond the narrow limits of constitutionality and legality.

Translated by Amarílis Anchieta