Supreme king
Joaquim Barbosa is always standing while his guests remain seated in official photos. He seems more like a messiah descended to mortals who pray to him asking for favors.
It is common practice in monarchies for the king to stand at the highest point in a room. Thrones, for example, are not at ground level. After all, God's messenger on Earth will never be at the same height as mere mortals. In the Vatican, the Pope also always rests at a level above others. This symbolic gesture represents superiority. Joaquim Barbosa, president of the Supreme Federal Court (STF), is always standing while his guests remain seated in official photos. He seems more like the messiah descended to mortals who pray to him asking for grace.
The latest example is Marina Silva. She went to Barbosa's office to ask (judging by the photo, she seems to be begging) that the Supreme Court end the discussion about changes to the rules for creating new political parties. Instead of seeking the Senate or going to the streets to engage in political debate, as dictated by the good rules of democracy, she seeks the Judiciary, which, in addition to further encouraging the interference of this branch of government in the prerogatives of another, seems to perceive the word "supreme" in relation to the STF (Supreme Federal Court) as synonymous with divinity.
If a judge thinks he's God and an appeals court judge is certain of it, as Tutmés Ayran stated upon assuming the position representing the Brazilian Bar Association in Alagoas at the Alagoas Court of Justice, imagine a Supreme Court Justice: the sun is only at the center of the solar system because of the heat, and here on Earth it's cooler. The guardian of the Constitution behaves like a guardian of life. It's all part of the control game of the ruling classes. If the results aren't satisfactory with the people (elections) and the media, then we'll resort to judicial robes.
The Supreme Federal Court (STF), as guardian of the Constitution – if it truly saw itself that way, at least – would never place itself in situations like this. The sole paragraph of Article 1 of our Magna Carta states that "All power emanates from the people, who exercise it through elected representatives or directly." It's good to reinforce this point: All power emanates from the people. And what powers represent the political will of a people? Hint: it's not the Judiciary.
His role is to ensure that the other branches of government function, but without interfering in their prerogatives. Even discussions in Congress are vetoed by injunctions – which is worse! – by the Supreme Court. Or should it be the Supreme Federal Supreme Court? Suddenly, they put a "divine" in place of two "supreme" to avoid repeating the word.
If the changes to the rules for creating political parties are, as many "columnists" in our "mainstream press" claim, then it is up to Congress to set the agenda for this discussion, not the Supreme Court. The Legislative Branch is responsible for creating laws.
I particularly believe that the creation of political parties should be free. Whether party A or B has more or less programmatic content is a matter for those considering joining the parties in question. The only prohibition that should exist regarding the creation of parties is the religious aspect. This goes against the secular state, and faith is something that is not questioned by the faithful, while in politics everything can be questioned (please do not confuse this with a prohibition on the practice of religion).
In this judicialization of life – from the inside out and from the outside in – the judicial robes have already overstepped their proper limits. It's as if it were an imperialist action, à la USA. Joaquim Barbosa, as head of this branch of government, increasingly behaves like a king. And, in a bipolar outburst, he stated in Costa Rica that the Brazilian press is not pluralistic and is right-wing, and that justice is only for the poor and black people. Many people must have thought: is King Joca crazy?