Kassio Nunes paralyzes vaccine passport trial at STF

The minister Kassio Nunes Marques interrupted this Thursday (16) the judgment of the STF (Supreme Federal Court) which discusses the requirement of a vaccination passport to enter the country.

The court already had eight votes to establish the need to present proof of vaccine against Covid-19 or to quarantine and have a negative test for the disease to enter the country.

The Supreme Court adviser informed that, despite the trial having been interrupted without a declaration of result, this understanding is what is in effect.

On Thursday, the Minister of Health, Marcelo Queiroga, had said that the government was waiting for the closing of the trial to issue an ordinance that would regulate the entry and exit of Brazil in accordance with the Supreme Court’s decision.

“When the decision is reached, the ministries led by the Civil House will check the regulations”, he said.

The government has yet to say what it will do with the suspension of the trial.

Kassio was the first court nominee by President Jair Bolsonaro, who is against the passport. He asked for emphasis to withdraw the analysis of the theme from the virtual environment and send it to the physical plenary.

With that, the Supreme should go back to judge the case only next year, already with the presence of André Mendonça, the second chosen by the Chief Executive for the court and who took office this Thursday (16).

When the process is removed from the online environment, the case is resumed from scratch in the physical plenary. President Luiz Fux has announced that he will schedule the trial for February 9, after the recess.

In analyzing the case, the rapporteur’s vote, Minister Luís Roberto Barroso, prevailed. The majority position allows residents who leave the country from Wednesday (15) to return even without proof of immunization.

It is also authorized the entry, without vaccine, of those who cannot receive doses for medical reasons, children under 12 years of age and those arriving from countries without available immunization agents.