Cristiano Zanin was inaugurated as a minister of the Brazilian Supreme Federal Court (STF) and was congratulated by attendees including President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, Vice President Geraldo Alckmin, and other STF members. The ceremony was also attended by Prosecutor General Augusto Aras, Chamber and Senate Presidents Arthur Lira and Rodrigo Pacheco, as well as lawyers, family, and friends. STF President Rosa Weber welcomed Zanin, highlighting his experience. Zanin is set to participate in his first virtual plenary session judgments on Friday. A celebration dinner is scheduled at the Association of Brazilian Magistrates (AMB) without press access. Zanin, known for defending Lula in the Operation Car Wash cases, is a 47-year-old lawyer from Piracicaba, São Paulo, with expertise in strategic litigation.

The Brazilian Supreme Court is set to resume deliberations on the temporal framework for indigenous land demarcation, a controversial issue affecting nearly one million indigenous community members. The debate centers on whether the Constitution's enactment date should be the cutoff for land claims. The decision could escalate land conflicts, especially in the North and Northeast regions. The agricultural sector supports the framework for legal certainty, while indigenous rights advocates oppose it. The Court's decision is pending, with two votes already cast and security forces on alert for potential protests.

The Brazilian Federal Police have found indications that former President Jair Bolsonaro may have an account with BB Americas, a subsidiary of Banco do Brasil, in Florida. The suspicions arose from an analysis of material found on the cell phones of Bolsonaro and his former aide, Mauro Cid. If the account is confirmed and not declared to the Brazilian tax authorities, an investigation into possible money laundering could be initiated, potentially requiring Bolsonaro to provide explanations.

On April 25, 2023, Minister Alexandre de Moraes of the Supreme Electoral Court met with the presidents of Brazil's Chamber of Deputies, Arthur Lira, and the Senate, Rodrigo Pacheco, to deliver contributions to a proposed law aimed at combating fake news. The bill, which has already passed the Senate, will now proceed to the Chamber's plenary. It is supported by communication industry entrepreneurs and includes regulations for social networks, such as the obligation to remove criminal or illegal content. The opposition criticizes the bill as censorship and an attempt to regulate social networks to prevent opposition expressions. The law outlines objectives to strengthen the democratic process, defend freedom of expression, increase content moderation transparency, and adopt mechanisms for information on sponsored content. It also includes provisions for identifying sponsored content, requiring identity numbers for suspected fake accounts, and suspending profiles of users without a cell phone registration, among other measures. Providers must notify users before sanctions and report active and inactive users quarterly. Government institutions and politicians' social media profiles are considered of public interest and must comply with the rules. Non-compliance may result in fines of up to 10% of the company's revenue in Brazil.

Brazil's Vice President Geraldo Alckmin blocked Congressman Eduardo Bolsonaro on Twitter on April 24, 2023, amidst Eduardo's posts about the January 8 attacks. The opposition has been attempting to link the current government to the extremist acts after images surfaced of former Minister Gon�alves Dias, then head of the Institutional Security Cabinet (GSI), in the Planalto Palace on the day of the attacks. False allegations have also been made against a Reuters photojournalist, who was seen documenting the attacks and was later greeted by one of the vandals. In the same incident, several journalists were assaulted, robbed, and intimidated. Additionally, Major Jos� Eduardo Natale de Paula Pereira of the Army, who has been stationed at the GSI since former President Jair Bolsonaro's administration, was seen providing water to protesters, and other military personnel who accompanied the former president were spotted in the building without reacting to the attacks.

STJ Minister Paulo de Tarso Sanseverino died at the age of 63. He had been absent in recent months due to health issues and was hospitalized in Porto Alegre, his birthplace. The cause of death has not been disclosed. Sanseverino had been a member of the STJ since 2010, appointed by then-President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, and served as a substitute minister at the TSE since September 2021, participating in the 2022 elections. Previously, he was a judge at the TJ-RS from 1999 to 2010.

The Federal Police of Brazil launched Operation Closed Circuit to investigate R$ 40 million in fraud at the National Department of Infrastructure and Transport (Dnit) through irregular contracting of an IT company. The fraudulent contracts were signed between 2012 and 2019, and the operation includes 9 temporary arrest warrants and 40 search and seizure warrants across the Federal District, São Paulo, Goiás, and Paraná. The operation also involves the freezing of R$ 40 million from the accounts of those investigated, the seizure of 6 properties, and 11 vehicles. This is the second phase of Operation Drawer, which began in February to investigate R$ 50.473.262,80 diverted from the Ministry of Labor through the same company. The scheme involved employees and resellers of the B.I. tool developer, public tenders rigged to favor the company, and public officials creating artificial demand for the company's products with restrictive clauses that prevented other competitors. The suspects may face charges including embezzlement, criminal organization, money laundering, bidding fraud, forgery, and active and passive corruption, with potential penalties of over 40 years in prison.

Brazil's public procurement process is set to undergo significant changes with the proposed new Bidding Law, which aims to modernize and streamline the process. The legislation, which has been in the works since 1995, was recently approved by a Special Committee in the Chamber of Deputies and is awaiting a plenary vote. Key changes include increased thresholds for bidding exemptions, harsher penalties for fraud, and the creation of a Public Procurement Portal. While the Ministry of Economy and the National Confederation of Municipalities have praised the updates, some experts believe the legislation could have gone further in enhancing transparency and anti-corruption measures.

Three months after its announcement, the Northeast Interstate Consortium for Sustainable Development, or Northeast Consortium, has become a reality, coordinated by the Government of Bahia. The consortium, signed by the governors of the Northeast region in March, is expected to be officially installed in the coming weeks, with a physical headquarters in Bahia. While Alagoas and Rio Grande do Norte have yet to publish the proposal, the Bahia Attorney General's Office considers the consortium established. Experts view the consortium as a positive step for regional development, allowing for joint procurement and integrated public security. Economists and legal scholars see potential for cost savings and more effective public-private partnerships. The consortium also aims to strengthen the region's negotiating power in financial matters.

The Democratic Labour Party (PDT) plans to take action against state deputy André Fernandes (PSL) at the Ethics Council of the Legislative Assembly of Ceará for alleged parliamentary decorum breach. The decision follows Fernandes' accusations against fellow lawmakers, specifically Nezinho Farias (PDT), of involvement with criminal factions. The PDT's state president, André Figueiredo, expressed solidarity with Nezinho and indignation at the baseless accusations. Nezinho defended his electronic games regulation proposal, which Fernandes criticized, clarifying that it targets video games, not illegal gambling. The controversy began when Fernandes made claims about legislators' involvement with criminal factions without providing evidence.