BRASILIA, June 22, 2023 (BSS/AFP) - Brazil's Senate on Wednesday voted to
confirm Supreme Court nominee Cristiano Zanin, the longtime lawyer of
President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva who had defended him against corruption
charges.

The upper chamber voted 58 to 18 in favor of the nomination, after an eight-
hour hearing in front of the body during which Zanin promised he would
perform his duties "without any type of capitulation" to his former client.

"Impartiality for me is fundamental and a structural element of justice
itself," he said.

Zanin's nomination had recently been comfortably approved by the Senate's
Constitution and Justice Committee.

A 47-year-old civil law specialist, Zanin represented Lula in Brazil's
massive "Car Wash" corruption investigation.

Lula, who previously led Brazil from 2003 to 2010, was ultimately sent to
prison for more than 18 months on charges of accepting bribes.

His convictions were overturned by the Supreme Court in 2021, enabling him to
run for president again.

The 11-member Supreme Court has had a vacant seat since April, when former
justice Ricardo Lewandowski retired.

Lula nominated Zanin earlier this month, saying he would "be an exceptional
judge."

Opposition figures criticized the pick, accusing the president of seeking to
fill the court with friendly judges.

Zanin's confirmation brings the number of justices appointed by Lula's
Workers' Party (PT) to seven -- a situation that has fueled opposition
accusations of left-wing bias on the court.

During last year's presidential campaign against far-right incumbent Jair
Bolsonaro, Lula had criticized the idea of a leader counting Supreme Court
justices as friends, saying it was "not prudent."

Zanin is eligible to serve on the court until 2050, under a rule that
requires judges to retire at age 75.