“Permit me to underline something fundamental at this moment: judicial independence does not protect itself. It demands vigilance, firmness, pedagogy, and action. Simultaneously, it requires us to be able to recognize our own imperfections, accept criticism, promote transparency, improve practices, and cultivate an irreproachable ethic that imposes itself, communicating clearly and simply within and outside of processes,” said Judge Counselor João Cura Mariano.
At the solemn session marking the 50th anniversary of the Portuguese Judges’ Union Association (ASJP), held today at the Supreme Court of Justice (STJ), the president of this superior court, “associated for more than 40 years” with the organization that “has always been much more than a union in the strict sense of the term,” recalled the association’s role in building an independent judiciary and its operational model, which still persists despite imperfections.
“Imperfect, certainly, lacking means of action, applying outdated laws, managing processes it does not control electronically, but for the moment acting without any oversight, although there is concern as voices begin to call for the control of its activity by entities designated by political power,” he said.
Highlighting a changing world and the need for “permanent adaptation and reformism” within the justice system, Cura Mariano argued that there must be “institutional dialogue among the different branches of power in preserving the democratic rule of law” and that “merely proclaiming the virtues of democracy in its defense is not enough.”
The president of the STJ pointed to digitalization, new models of judicial organization, process management, tackling misinformation, and judicial populism as “central and urgent challenges for the judiciary” that require a “commitment to the future.”
“Five decades later, we continue to assert, with the same conviction and serenity, that the independence of the courts is the foundation of any democracy. We continue to assert that justice cannot be held hostage to political agendas, media pressures, or momentary circumstances. We continue to assert that judges must decide solely based on the law, evidence, and their conscience. Today we celebrate a history of courage, commitment, and public service,” said Cura Mariano.
