For the 2nd time, former Uberaba prosecutor enters the running for the position of Attorney General of Justice of MG

Voting to choose the new prosecutor is mandatory for all prosecutors and public prosecutors working at the Public Ministry of Minas Gerais (MPMG). The position is the highest in the body's structure.

José Carlos was the second most voted in the process, with 402 nominations. Also on the list are prosecutors Paulo de Tarso Morais Filho, who had 797 votes, and Carlos Eduardo Ferreira Pinto, with 379 votes.

The governor of Minas now has 15 calendar days to nominate one of the names on the list for the position of attorney general of Justice of Minas Gerais. The investiture will take place within five working days after the appointment.

By law, if the appointment does not occur within this period, the member of the Public Ministry with the most votes in the election will automatically be invested in the position to exercise the mandate.

This is the second time that Fernandes is on the triple list for the position of Attorney General of Justice. In 2020, he also came in second place and was on the list given to then-governor Romeu Zema, who appointed the most voted candidate at the time, Jarbas Soares Júnior, to take over the post.

In an official letter, the mayors of the region pleaded for the former prosecutor to be chosen for the position of Attorney General of the State of Minas Gerais and argued that José Carlos knows the reality of the interior cities, which is important for the efficiency of the Public Ministry.

"His performance, especially notable in the Triângulo Mineiro region, demonstrates a deep knowledge of the reality of the municipalities of Minas Gerais and the social demands of our State", stated the document.

Also according to the document, the presence of the name on the triple list shows the leadership that the professional is capable of exercising inside and outside the institution.

José Carlos Fernandes Junior began his career in 1991, in Itapagipe, shortly after being approved in a public competition for the Public Ministry. He was later transferred to Uberaba, where he worked for 27 years and even coordinated the Special Action Group to Combat Organized Crime (Gaeco).

Fernandes was also coordinator of the Operational Support Center for the Public Prosecutor's Offices for the Defense of Public Heritage of Minas Gerais (Caopp), an area focused on combating irregularities in public administration. He left Uberaba in September 2025, when he was promoted to prosecutor in Belo Horizonte.