Renan expresses sorrow and bewilderment at Teori's death.
“This was a magistrate who earned respect for his sense of justice, legalism, balance, and devotion to the law. Brazil, society, and the legal world have lost one of their greatest exponents. On behalf of the National Congress, I express my condolences to the family and urge a swift clarification of the causes of this tragic accident,” said Renan, in a statement.
A death The death of Supreme Court Justice Teori Zavascki resonated among the main political leaders of the Federal Senate. Parliamentarians lamented the jurist's passing and praised him for his balanced and sober handling of the Lava Jato cases, for which Teori was the rapporteur.
The president of the Senate and the National Congress, Renan Calheiros (PMDB-AL), said he received the news of Teori's death with "extreme sorrow and perplexity." According to him, the minister always stood out for his "seriousness, brilliance, and composure in defending the Judiciary and all Brazilian institutions."
"This was a magistrate who earned respect for his sense of justice, legalism, balance, and devotion to the law. Brazil, society, and the legal world have lost one of their greatest exponents. On behalf of the National Congress, I express my condolences to the family and urge a swift clarification of the causes of this tragic accident," Renan said in a statement.
The leader of the PMDB in the Senate, Eunício Oliveira (CE), also expressed surprise at the news of the tragedy involving the Supreme Court Justice and lamented the loss of someone he considered "an exemplary magistrate, an eternal guardian of the Constitution, absolutely consistent with his convictions." According to Eunício, Teori Zavascki's "sobriety" will be missed by the nation and the Brazilian justice system.
The PT leader in the House, Senator Humberto Costa (PE), said that Teori's death represents "a loss for the legal world and the Judiciary." Costa said he was "concerned" about delays or restarting the Lava Jato proceedings in the Supreme Court with the appointment of a new rapporteur, which, according to him, would be "very bad" for the investigation.
The president of the PSDB party, Senator Aécio Neves (MG), also said he was "deeply impacted" by the magistrate's death. "Brazil owes a great debt of recognition and gratitude to the minister for the balanced and responsible way he handled one of the most difficult moments in the country's history. He honored the seat he held in our highest court. My deepest condolences to the families of all the victims."
Senator Antonio Anastasia (PMDB-MG) highlighted Teori Zavascki's performance in leading the Lava Jato investigations at the Supreme Court, describing him as "very serious and correct," and said that the plane crash in which the minister was involved needs to be investigated. "We all now expect a careful and technical investigation into the causes of this accident."
The government leader in Congress, Senator Romero Jucá (PMDB-RR), praised the "technical precision and discretion" with which Teori worked and said that his death affects the country and the Brazilian justice system.
According to the president of the Democrats party, Senator José Agripino Maia (RN), with Teori's death, "the Supreme Court loses a reference point that Brazil sees as a model of balance and legal expertise."
In a statement, former President José Sarney recalled meeting Teori Zavascki when the minister was still a judge on the Federal Court of Rio Grande do Sul and highlighted his time at the Superior Court of Justice. "He was a serious, upright, and brilliant magistrate. He rendered a great service to the Brazilian judiciary with his experience and legal expertise," said the former president.