And the general admiration for Dr. Mariz is not only due to the fact – notorious, by the way – that he is one of the best and most dedicated lawyers in the country. There is more. For decades, Mariz has devoted much of his time to advocacy, especially attorney prerogatives.

I am witness to countless meetings with this advocacy giant, marked exclusively to discuss proposals aimed at combating the discredit that has reached advocacy. And largely because today a climate of punitivism prevails, in which the criminal lawyer is seen as a nuisance, and not as part of the Judiciary that distributes – or should distribute – Justice.

Confusing the lawyer with his client is the master line of this infamous chain. A long time ago, Mariz has foreseen what is happening nowadays and, tirelessly, he has fought with all his might for the advocacy and the lawyer. If it were not for his initiatives, we would be living even worse days.

He wanted the cruel fate that was precisely him the victim of a breach of secrecy, which clearly confuses the lawyer and the client. Act of force against a lawyer, for the simple fact of being the lawyer of the cause. Act that could clearly have been avoided with a simple clarification, which Mariz would lend with pleasure and with a clear conscience, based on the ethical standard that always inspired him.

But, it seems, secrecy was not the target. The capricious leak seems to have been no coincidence: the exposure of the decision was aimed at the lawyer and not the secrecy.

The shot backfired. The act only had the condemnation of joining the law, something that seemed unthinkable, so many are the chains that divide it. Now, there are thousands of lawyers who demand that the Judiciary and the Legislative act. Urgent measures and consequences for those who disrespect professional prerogatives.

I remembered the broadside created by Brazilians, inspired by the movement #MeToo, that fits well in the situation: attacked Mariz, attacked us all.