Benedito Gonçalves Explained

Benedito Gonçalves
Office:Minister of the Superior Tribunal of Justice
Term Start:September 17, 2008
Nominator:Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva
Predecessor:José Augusto Delgado
Office2:Minister of the Superior Electoral Court
Term Start2:November 9, 2021
Term End2:November 9, 2023[1]
Predecessor2:Luis Felipe Salomão
Successor2:Isabel Gallotti
Birth Date:30 January 1954
Birth Place:Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
Alma Mater:Federal University of Rio de Janeiro
Awards:Order of Military Merit[2]

Benedito Gonçalves (born January 30, 1954) is a Brazilian magistrate, currently a minister of the Superior Court of Justice (STJ).[3] [4] He was also a minister of the Superior Electoral Court (TSE) for the 2021-2023 biennium, as well as corregidor-general of the Electoral Justice.

Career

Academic studies and teaching

Gonçalves graduated in law from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ) in 1978. In 1997, he specialized in civil procedure at the Center for Judicial Studies of the Federal Justice Council, in agreement with the University of Brasília (UNB), and became a master in law in 1998 at the Estácio de Sá University (UNESA), where he taught constitutional law and introduction to the study of law.[5]

Police career and the judiciary

He worked as a papiloscopist for the Federal Police, from 1977 to 1982, and as a chief of police for the Federal District from 1982 to 1988.[6] He entered the judiciary as a federal judge in 1988, and was promoted on merit to the Federal Regional Court of the 2nd Region (TRF-2) in 1998.

As a desembergador of the TRF-2, Benedito was president of the Federal Regional Magistrates' School (Emarf), a position in which he signed an agreement with the Fundação Getúlio Vargas (FGV) for the training of magistrates.[7]

Superior Court of Justice

Benedito Gonçalves ran for the first time for a seat on the Superior Court of Justice (STJ) in May 2004, when the seat of Justice Vicente Leal became vacant. He received only two votes and was not included in the triple list.[8]

In April 2007, another vacancy opened up in the STJ with the retirement of Justice Jorge Scartezzini.[9] Of the 76 competing names, Benedito Gonçalves was chosen on the first ballot, with twenty votes, making up the triple list along with judges Napoleão Nunes Maia Filho (25 votes) and Assusete Magalhães (18 votes); President Lula appointed the first-placed judge, Napoleão.[10]

Finally, a new vacancy opened up with the retirement of Justice José Delgado in June 2008, for which 23 candidates applied. Benedito was the first name on the triple list, receiving 21 votes, followed by Assusete Magalhães (18 votes) and Isabel Gallotti (17).[11] Lula chose Benedito on August 1, 2008.[12] After being nominated by President Lula, Benedito was then taken to the Constitution, Justice and Citizenship Commission (CCJ) of the Federal Senate, on August 13.[13] [14] On August 26, the Senate approved his nomination for the position, with 57 votes in favor and only four against.[15] Benedito took office as a minister of the Superior Court of Justice on August 28, 2008.[16]

On August 28, 2020, he ordered the removal of the governor of Rio de Janeiro Wilson Witzel, investigated in the context of Operation Placebo, which dealt with irregularities in the contracting of field hospitals, the purchase of respirators and medicines in the context of the fight against COVID-19.[17] The decision also banned Witzel's access to state government premises, his communication with officials and the use of services to which he was entitled in the exercise of his office, as well as a ban on contact between the other investigated parties. In the same decision, he rejected the governor's request for pre-trial detention.[18]

Inspector General of Electoral Justice

On September 8, 2022, he took up the position of Corregidor General of the Electoral Justice.[19] In the post, he was the rapporteur of the electoral judicial investigation (AIJE), judged in June 2023, which resulted in the ineligibility of Jair Bolsonaro.[20]

He ended his term as a TSE minister on November 9. In his farewell speech, he stressed the importance of defending democracy, which he had discovered to be so fragile, and the responsibility of looking after the foundation of a just and prosperous nation, which is the Democratic Rule of Law. As he left, he was honored by fellow judges, members of the Public Prosecutor's Office and representatives of the legal profession.[21] He was replaced by Minister Raul Araújo; according to the brazilian legal news portal Consultor Jurídico, the change meant a less interventionist stance for the body.[22]

Press

In September 2022, after TSE Minister Benedito Gonçalves banned Jair Bolsonaro's campaign from using images of the September 7 commemorative event, the date on which Brazil's independence is celebrated, as electoral propaganda, Bolsonaro's supporters circulated a fake photograph of Gonçalves wearing a red blouse with a print of Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva's face.[23] The fake image was produced through a montage and shared on social networks.[24]

At the beginning of January 2024, the minister's son, businessman Felipe Brandão, went viral on social media with a video in which he flaunted designer clothes and objects during a trip to Amsterdam.[25] On January 13, the Rio de Janeiro Court of Justice ordered that the video be taken down. In her decision, judge Flávia Babu Capanema Tancredo understood that the intention of the video was to ridicule Felipe and target third parties, in this case Minister Benedito himself.[26] [27]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Corregedor nas eleições 2022, Benedito Gonçalves se despede do mandato no TSE . Fernanda Vivas . November 9, 2023 . G1 . November 9, 2023.
  2. Brazil. Decreto. March 20, 2006.
  3. Web site: Ministro Benedito Gonçalves . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20171115083326/http://www.stj.jus.br/web/verCurriculoMinistro?cod_matriculamin=0001196 . November 15, 2017 . January 20, 2015 . Superior Tribunal de Justiça.
  4. Web site: 2008 . Relatório da Comissão de Constituição e Justiça . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240923215001/http://legis.senado.leg.br/sdleg-getter/documento?dm=4332546&disposition=inline . September 23, 2024 . 14 November 2017 . Senado Federal.
  5. Web site: August 6, 2008 . Diário do Senado Federal No. 114 . https://web.archive.org/web/20171115143657/http://legis.senado.leg.br/diarios/BuscaDiario?tipDiario=1&datDiario=06/08/2008&paginaDireta=28986 . November 15, 2017 . November 14, 2017 . Senado Federal.
  6. Web site: Diário do Senado Federal n° 114 de 2008 - Diários - Atividade Legislativa . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240924140023/https://legis.senado.leg.br/diarios/ver/476?sequencia=58 . September 24, 2024 . 2024-09-24 . Senado Federal.
  7. Web site: 2006-02-13 . TRF-2 celebra convênio de cooperação técnica com FGV . https://web.archive.org/web/20240113182214/https://www.conjur.com.br/2006-fev-13/trf-2_celebra_convenio_cooperacao_tecnica_fgv/ . January 13, 2024 . 2024-09-24 . Consultor Jurídico.
  8. Web site: 2004-05-21 . Saiba como foi a escolha da lista tríplice para vaga no STJ . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240113182214/https://www.conjur.com.br/2004-mai-20/saiba_foi_escolha_lista_triplice_vaga_stj/ . January 13, 2024 . 2024-09-24 . Consultor Jurídico.
  9. Web site: Erdelyi . Maria Fernanda . 2007-04-10 . STJ escolhe nomes para ocupar vaga de Jorge Scartezzini . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20210612142708/https://www.conjur.com.br/2007-abr-10/stj_escolhe_nomes_ocupar_vaga_jorge_scartezzini/ . June 12, 2021 . 2024-09-24 . Consultor Jurídico.
  10. Web site: 2007-04-24 . Napoleão Nunes Maia Filho é indicado por Lula ao STJ . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20210514051450/https://www.conjur.com.br/2007-abr-24/napoleao_nunes_maia_filho_indicado_lula_stj/ . May 14, 2021 . 2024-09-24 . Consultor Jurídico.
  11. Web site: 2008-08-01 . Benedito Gonçalves é indicado para vaga de ministro do STJ . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20210420150355/https://www.migalhas.com.br/quentes/66074/benedito-goncalves-e-indicado-para-vaga-de-ministro-do-stj . April 20, 2021 . 2024-09-24 . Migalhas . pt-br.
  12. Web site: 2008-08-01 . Lula indica desembargador do TRF do Rio para o STJ . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20210508093925/https://www.conjur.com.br/2008-ago-01/lula_indica_desembargador_trf_rio_stj/ . May 8, 2021 . 2024-09-24 . Consultor Jurídico.
  13. Web site: 2008-08-12 . Senado sabatina indicados para corregedoria e vaga no STJ . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240117214217/https://www.conjur.com.br/2008-ago-12/senado_sabatina_indicados_corregedoria_vaga_stj/ . January 17, 2024 . 2024-09-24 . Consultor Jurídico.
  14. Web site: 2008-06-08 . Indicação do desembargador Benedito Gonçalves para o STJ será votada na CCJ na próxima semana . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240924140523/https://www12.senado.leg.br/noticias/materias/2008/08/06/indicacao-do-desembargador-benedito-goncalves-para-o-stj-sera-votada-na-ccj-na-proxima-semana . 2024-09-24 . 2024-09-24 . Senado Federal . pt-br.
  15. Web site: 2008-08-27 . Senado aprova indicação de Benedito Gonçalves para ministro do STJ . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240924140735/https://www.oabrj.org.br/noticias/senado-aprova-indicacao-benedito-goncalves-ministro-stj . 2024-09-24 . 2024-09-24 . OAB-RJ.
  16. Web site: 2008-08-28 . Benedito Gonçalves é nomeado para ministro do STJ . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20221019021934/https://www.conjur.com.br/2008-ago-28/benedito_goncalves_nomeado_ministro_stj/ . October 19, 2022 . 2024-09-24 . Consultor Jurídico.
  17. Web site: STJ afasta o governador Witzel do cargo e prende seis investigados por irregularidades na Saúde do Rio . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20201028122246/https://www.stj.jus.br/sites/portalp/Paginas/Comunicacao/Noticias/28082020-STJ-afasta-o-governador-Witzel-do-cargo-e-prende-seis-investigados-por-irregularidades-na-Saude-do-Rio.aspx . October 28, 2020 . 2024-09-24 . . pt-br.
  18. Web site: 2020-08-28 . STJ afasta Witzel do cargo por suspeitas de irregularidades na saúde; vice é alvo de buscas Rio de Janeir . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240811154139/https://g1.globo.com/rj/rio-de-janeiro/noticia/2020/08/28/pf-cumpre-mandados-no-rj-nesta-sexta-feira.ghtml . August 11, 2024 . 2024-09-24 . . pt-br.
  19. Web site: Benedito Gonçalves é o novo corregedor-geral eleitoral . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20230128010008/https://www.stj.jus.br/sites/portalp/Paginas/Comunicacao/Noticias/2022/08092022-Ministro-Benedito-Goncalves-toma-posse-como-corregedor-geral-da-Justica-Eleitoral.aspx . January 28, 2023 . 2024-09-24 . . pt-br.
  20. Web site: 2023-11-09 . Ministro Benedito Gonçalves, relator das ações que tornaram Bolsonaro inelegível, deixa o TSE . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20231110021729/https://www.cartacapital.com.br/justica/ministro-benedito-goncalves-relator-das-acoes-que-tornaram-bolsonaro-inelegivel-deixa-o-tse/ . November 10, 2023 . 2024-09-24 . . pt-BR.
  21. Web site: Vital . Danilo . 2023-11-09 . Benedito Gonçalves é homenageado em sua despedida do Tribunal Superior Eleitoral . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20231110023606/https://www.conjur.com.br/2023-nov-09/benedito-goncalves-homenageado-despedida-tse/ . November 10, 2023 . 2024-09-24 . Consultor Jurídico.
  22. Web site: Vital . Danilo . 2023-11-09 . Troca na Corregedoria do TSE indica um novo caminho, de mínima intervenção . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20231110020739/https://www.conjur.com.br/2023-nov-09/troca-na-corregedoria-do-tse-indica-um-novo-caminho-de-minima-intervencao/ . November 10, 2023 . 2024-09-24 . Consultor Jurídico.
  23. Web site: Foto de ministro do TSE Benedito Gonçalves com blusa de candidato à Presidência é montagem . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20220921234716/https://www.justicaeleitoral.jus.br/fato-ou-boato/checagens/foto-de-ministro-benedito-goncalves-do-tse-com-blusa-de-candidato-a-presidencia-e-montagem . September 21, 2022 . 2024-09-24 . . pt-br.
  24. Web site: Menezes . Luis . 2022-09-16 . É montagem foto de ministro do TSE com blusa de Lula . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20220921024305/https://www.terra.com.br/noticias/e-montagem-foto-de-ministro-do-tse-com-blusa-de-lula,efbc8cc9fd5d79c82f60fe412c8382d8fdlhnvl8.html . September 21, 2022 . 2024-09-24 . Terra . pt-BR.
  25. Web site: 2024-01-10 . Filho de Benedito Gonçalves, do STJ, viraliza com roupas de grife e joias no TikTok . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240424155538/https://www.poder360.com.br/poder-gente/filho-de-benedito-goncalves-do-stj-viraliza-com-roupas-de-grife-e-joias-no-tiktok/ . April 24, 2024 . 2024-09-24 . Poder360 . pt-br.
  26. Web site: Gois . Ancelmo . 2024-01-13 . Justiça ordena retirada de vídeo com filho de ministro do STJ com roupas de marca . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240615070425/https://oglobo.globo.com/blogs/ancelmo-gois/post/2024/01/justica-ordena-retirada-de-video-com-filho-de-ministro-do-stj-com-roupas-de-marca.ghtml . June 15, 2024 . 2024-09-24 . . pt-br.
  27. Web site: 2024-01-15 . Por que juíza mandou excluir vídeo com filho de ministro do STJ . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240228011836/https://www.cartacapital.com.br/politica/juiza-manda-remover-video-com-filho-de-ministro-do-stj-que-entrou-na-mira-de-bolsonaristas/ . February 28, 2024 . 2024-09-24 . . pt-BR.