Top court Chief Justice Cármen Lúcia now Brazil’s president

For the second time in Brazilian history, the country’s Supreme Court’s Chief Justice takes office as the nation’s acting president. Cármen Lúcia is to be installed today (Apr. 13), as soon as President Michel Temer leaves Brazil’s air space, on a trip to Lima, Peru, to participate in the 8th Summit of the Americas.

The first female head of the top court to serve as president of Brazil was Justice Ellen Gracie (retired), in May 2006, when then President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva flew to Argentina accompanied by the three authorities next in the succession line: vice-President José Alencar, then lower house speaker Aldo Rebelo, and Senate head Renan Calheiros.

As the country has no vice-President due to the impeachment of ex-President Dilma Rousseff, it was the job of house speaker Rodrigo Maia to replace Temer. However, both Maia and Eunício Oliveira, president of the Senate, will be on official trips overseas—Maia in Panamá, Oliveira in Japan.

Translated by Fabrício Ferreira