Does the world judge Brazil, or does Brazil judge the Supreme Federal Court?

By Paulo Nogueira, from Diary of the Center of the World

"The world is watching Brazil," Joaquim Barbosa tells Merval Pereira.

It's a phone conversation, Merval informs us. JB is in the United States to receive an award from the dying Time magazine and to give a lecture at a university. (Barbosa was included on Time's list of influential people alongside luminaries like Mario Balotelli, Christina Aguilera, and Jay-Z. If Time doesn't go under first, maybe Merval will one day make the list too, much to Ali Kamel's chagrin.)

"Keeping an eye on Brazil" means, as I understand it, that the world is watching the country to ensure that nothing is done, within the framework of international law, regarding the mensalão scandal.

Or we'll end up, quote, demoralized. Pause for laughter.

Well, what we have here is a complete inversion.

In fact, Brazil is keeping a close eye on the Supreme Court. Every day, more and more signs of irregularities in the judgments are accumulating.

With each passing moment, Brazilians become more aware of the colossal shortcomings of the Supreme Court justices. I wrote this once and I'll say it again: if there is a positive side effect to this legal circus, it is that Brazil has had the chance to witness the low level of its highest court.

Just look at Fux's relationship with one of the most sought-after lawyers in Rio.

It seems that there is simply no notion of ethics in the Brazilian Judiciary, no code of conduct that clearly indicates what can and cannot be done.

It is clear, absurdly clear, that Fux could not judge cases from his friend's office, but he judged them anyway.

And nothing happens. Any word from Barbosa on this, as president of the Supreme Court? Did Merval ask?

Does Barbosa himself not realize that a judge in his position cannot be relaying messages through a journalist from a media outlet so ideologically biased? I wonder what would happen here if Judge Brian Leveson, head of the committee that investigated the excesses of the British media, were to call a columnist for Murdoch.

Well, back to the trial.

It was a very important event so that, a few months after the verdict, with the emergence of new information showing so many weaknesses, things are not reviewed.

We know who was happy with the verdict.

But those who were pleased with the ruling always defended causes in which "Joe, the common man," to use Irineu Marinho's iconic expression, ended up getting screwed.