Malafaia Campaigns for 'Terribly Evangelical' STF Seat — André Mendonça Confirmed to Supreme Federal Court

Brazilian evangelical pastor Silas Malafaia led a public campaign to fulfill Bolsonaro’s promise of appointing a “terribly evangelical” justice to Brazil’s Supreme Federal Court (STF). The nominee was André Mendonça — then Attorney General, a Presbyterian minister — who faced delays in his senate confirmation process.

Malafaia publicly pressured Bolsonaro and the Senate to accelerate the appointment, appearing in videos with fellow evangelical pastor Marco Feliciano to criticize the delay and accuse Senate leader Ciro Nogueira of working against the nomination. Malafaia stated: “Before the elections, the president pledged his word, his decision.” He attacked Nogueira publicly for perceived obstruction.

Mendonça was confirmed in December 2021, becoming the first explicitly evangelical justice on Brazil’s Supreme Court. The Religion News Service covered the appointment under the headline “André Mendonça, President Bolsonaro’s ’terribly evangelical’ Supreme Court justice.”

Mechanism in action: This episode is the clearest documented government-mountain capture operation in Malafaia’s political career — using evangelical voter mobilization pressure and direct presidential advisory access to shape the composition of Brazil’s highest court. The mechanism parallels the NAR’s “Seven Mountains” judiciary-capture agenda, though Malafaia frames his doctrine as “dominion theology” rather than “Seven Mountains.”

Cross-reference: malafaia-silas — full actor profile.