André Singer: Teori's stance remains as the main legacy.
"A democracy thrives on the balance of many powers. It has a greater chance of prospering when the actors who exercise them deeply understand the role they are entrusted with. The distance shows that Teori knew what he was doing," says political scientist André Singer about the reserved posture of the Supreme Court Justice who died in a plane crash in Paraty; for Singer, in exchange for this necessary choice, Teori "earned the medal represented by Romero Jucá's short phrase to Sérgio Machado last March: 'He's a closed-off guy,' meaning that Zavascki was unapproachable. What better can one expect from a judge?"
247 - Political scientist and professor at the University of São Paulo, André Singer, stated this Saturday, the 21st, that the main lesson left by Minister Teori Zavascki, rapporteur of Lava Jato at the Supreme Federal Court who died in a plane crash with four other people in Paraty (RJ), was his choice to remain reserved.
"A democracy thrives on the balance of many powers. It has a greater chance of prospering when the actors who exercise them fully understand the role they are entrusted with. The distance shows that Teori knew what he was doing," says Singer.
The political scientist points out that to properly fulfill the role assigned to him by society, he needs to maintain his independence. "If the magistrate is, or appears to be, involved with one of the parties, it compromises the verdict he will deliver. The idea is obvious, but in practice, difficult to sustain, as it implies controlling the enormous vanity that consumes everyone," he stated.
He compares the actions of Joaquim Barbosa in the trial of Criminal Action 470, the so-called "mensalão" scandal, and the conduct of Judge Sérgio Moro against the PT (Workers' Party), with the actions of Teori.
"Teori, on the other hand, acted in silence. As the rapporteur for Lava Jato, he made rare statements and few public appearances. Zero fanfare. Imagine how much loneliness, and even anguish, he must have gone through during difficult times. In return, he earned the medal represented by Romero Jucá's short phrase to Sérgio Machado last March: 'He's a closed-off guy,' meaning that Zavascki was unapproachable. What better can one expect from a judge?" he states.
"Zavascki is now receiving tributes from across the political spectrum, including Dilma and the PT. The consensus around him, one of the few agreements still standing in this polarized country, stemmed from his image of independence. It remains to be seen whether the next rapporteur will inherit, in addition to the responsibility, this posture," he adds.
Read in full André Singer's article in Folha.