Justice Minister Ricardo Lewandowski Resigns

Ricardo Lewandowski has officially resigned as the Minister of Justice, ending a tenure that began in February 2024. He submitted his resignation letter to President Lula on Thursday, January 8, 2026.

In his letter, Lewandowski cited razões de caráter pessoal e familiar (personal and family reasons) for his departure. However, he also explicitly mentioned facing significant limitações políticas and orçamentárias (political and budgetary limitations) during his time in the cabinet.

Despite these challenges, he asserted that he fulfilled his duties with zelo e dignidade (care and dignity). His resignation comes shortly after his retirement from the Supremo Tribunal Federal (STF), where he served prior to joining the executive branch.

The departure is notable for what it leaves behind: two critical security proposals that were drafted under his leadership but failed to pass through the Congresso. These initiatives were intended to strengthen the federal government's ability to coordinate with states and municipalities against criminal factions.

The government has not yet named a permanent successor. In the interim, Manoel Almeida, the ministry's Executive Secretary, will take charge of the portfolio.

Ricardo Lewandowski formally submitted his resignation to President Lula on Thursday, January 8. The minister cited razões de caráter pessoal e familiar as the primary motivation for his departure. However, the resignation letter also highlighted the operational difficulties inherent in the role.

Lewandowski wrote that he exercised the functions of the office with zelo e dignidade, specifically noting the constraints he operated under. He referenced limitações políticas, conjunturais e orçamentárias as significant factors influencing his tenure. These limitations suggest a challenging environment for implementing policy within the current administration.

The minister's background is rooted in the judiciary. He assumed the Ministry of Justice in February 2024, nearly a full year after his retirement from the Supremo Tribunal Federal (STF). His move to the executive branch represented a significant shift from his previous judicial role.

Despite the political and budgetary hurdles mentioned, Lewandowski maintained that he approached the role with full commitment. His departure marks the end of a relatively short but intense period of leadership at the ministry.

During his management of the ministry, Ricardo Lewandowski prioritized the fight against organized crime. His administration drafted and sent two specific proposals to the Congresso to address the threat of criminal organizations.

The first proposal was the PEC da segurança pública. This proposal sought to amend the Constitution to create a unique system of public security. The goal was to expand the federal government's competencies, allowing for better coordination of actions between the federal government, states, and municipalities.

The second initiative was the projeto de lei Antifacção. This bill aimed to establish harsher penalties for members of criminal factions. It was designed as a legal tool to intensify the state's response to organized gang activity.

Despite the submission of these proposals, Lewandowski leaves office without seeing either of them approved. Both the PEC and the Antifacção bill are still currently tramitam no Congresso (moving through the legislative process). His tenure ends before these legislative efforts could reach a conclusion.

The Ministério da Justiça is currently in a state of transition following the resignation of Ricardo Lewandowski. As of the announcement, the government has not yet revealed the name of the new minister who will take over the portfolio.

In the absence of a permanent appointment, Manoel Almeida will assume the responsibilities of the office. Almeida serves as the secretário executivo of the ministry. He will take on the role on an interim basis until President Lula selects a successor.

This interim arrangement ensures continuity in the ministry's operations while the search for a new permanent minister proceeds. The transition occurs as the pending security proposals await further action in the legislature.