Brazil’s senate OKs evangelical Bolsonaro ally to top court

By MAURICIO SAVARESE
Associated Press

BRASILIA, Brazil (AP) — Brazil’s senate has approved an evangelical former justice minister nominated by President Jair Bolsonaro to fill a vacant position on the supreme court, in what is seen as a nod to the conservative religious movement that helped bring him to power. André Mendonça, 48, is Bolsonaro’s second pick to the 11-justice high court, the first being moderate Catholic Kássio Nunes. The latter’s approval by the Senate in October of last year sparked criticism from the president’s evangelical base. Brazil’s president had earlier pledged to select a “terribly evangelical” candidate for the supreme court.