Candidate Who Used Letters from STF Ministers in Annulled USP Contest Appeals to Justice
Submission of letters from STF ministers in a USP contest generated suspicions of an attempt to pressure the judging panel. Read more on Gazeta do Povo.
TL;DR
- Rafael Campos Soares da Fonseca, son of STJ Minister Reynaldo Soares da Fonseca, is suing USP to be appointed as a Doctor Professor in Financial Law.
- His contest for the position was annulled after another candidate formally contested the results.
- Fonseca submitted recommendation letters from STF ministers (Gilmar Mendes, Edson Fachin, André Mendonça, Dias Toffoli), the Prosecutor General (Paulo Gonet), and STJ ministers, which raised suspicions of undue influence.
- The USP Congregation annulled the contest, citing that the letters compromised the objectivity and impartiality of the selection process.
- Fonseca claims the Congregation wrongly reviewed the decision to homologate the contest and that the letters were not prohibited.
- A judge rejected his urgent request for appointment, invoking the principle of university autonomy.
- Fonseca's defense states the process is ongoing and the request was to provisionally assume the position, with appeals filed.