SAO PAULO, Nov. 20 (Xinhua) -- Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on Thursday nominated Attorney General Jorge Messias to fill a vacancy on the Supreme Federal Court.

Messias, 45, was appointed to Brazil's highest court after Supreme Court Justice Luis Roberto Barroso requested early retirement, the president's office said in a statement.

If approved by the Senate, Messias could remain in the position for approximately 30 years, until the mandatory retirement age of 75 in Brazil's judiciary.

Messias has served as attorney general since Jan. 1, 2023, the start of Lula da Silva's third term.

A law graduate from the Federal University of Pernambuco, with a master's and a doctoral degree from the University of Brasilia, Messias served as Deputy Chief of Legal Affairs for the Presidency during the administration of former president Dilma Rousseff (2011-2016).

It is the third time Lula da Silva has appointed a Supreme Court justice during his third term. ■