MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Temer close aide sworn as a Justice in Brazil's Supreme Court

Moraes headed the Ministry of Justice when he was appointed to the Supreme Court by President Michel Temer.

Jurist Alexandre de Moraes was sworn into office as a Justice in Brazil's Supreme Court on Wednesday. Moraes will fill the seat left by Justice Teori Zavascki, who died in a plane crash in January. Moraes headed the Ministry of Justice when was appointed to the Supreme Court by President Michel Temer. His nomination to the top court was confirmed by the Senate last month. He is expected to take charge of 7,500 cases as he joins the court.

 Among the cases to be assigned to him are the decriminalization of drug possession and the effect of court orders requiring the public health system to supply highly expensive medicines to patients. The trials were put on hold when Zavascki asked to examine the case records, and will now be handed over by the new justice.

According to Brazil Agency, prior to his appointment to the Justice Ministry by President Michel Temer, Alexandre de Moraes served as Public Security Secretary for São Paulo state from January 2015 to May 2016, under the administration of Governor Geraldo Alckmin.

The new justice is the author of several books on constitutional law and a lecturer at the University of São Paulo (USP) Law School, where he earned his degree in 1990 and his doctorate in 2000. He was a member of the PSDB party until his appointment to the Supreme Court.