Laurinda Cardoso

Laurinda Jacinto Prazeres Monteiro Cardoso (born 17 June 1975) is an Angolan lawyer and jurist who has been President of the Constitutional Court since 2021. Quotes Ultimately, I'm not the right person to assess the level of knowledge of the Constitution, whether by society in general or by institutions. In any case, considering that I am part of society, it is deficient "We feel the lack of a strategy for disseminating the importance of the Constitution.". club-k.net (February 28, 2024) We still hold the idea that the Constitution is a working tool for judges, legal professionals, and lawyers. Sometimes, even within judicial institutions, this weak perception is still evident. "We feel the lack of a strategy for disseminating the importance of the Constitution.". club-k.net (February 28, 2024) The academic debate creates and develops the operational concepts of law. Intervention by the Presiding Judge of the Constitutional Court, Laurinda Prazeres Monteiro Cardoso, on the occasion of the celebrations of the 16th anniversary of the Constitutional Court. Tribunal constitutional (June19,2024) Approaching the courts without approaching the law means moving away from an awareness of what is legal and, consequently, having less awareness of one's own rights and duties Intervention by the Presiding Judge of the Constitutional Court, Laurinda Prazeres Monteiro Cardoso, on the occasion of the celebrations of the 16th anniversary of the Constitutional Court. Tribunal constitutional (June19,2024) It is necessary to bring people closer to the law before bringing them closer to the courts. Intervention by the Presiding Judge of the Constitutional Court, Laurinda Prazeres Monteiro Cardoso, on the occasion of the celebrations of the 16th anniversary of the Constitutional Court. Tribunal constitutional (June19,2024) The Constitution is, fundamentally, the basis of everything. It is in the Constitution that the guiding principles of State administration, society, and economic, social, cultural, and citizenship aspects are defined. My assessment is that our Constitution has been explored in academic circles, but it needs to be better known and disseminated to society in general. "We feel the lack of a strategy for disseminating the importance of the Constitution.". club-k.net (February 28, 2024) In the first phase, we need to become aware of the importance of the Constitution and then talk about it. That is why the Constitutional Court has been developing projects to promote and strengthen constitutional literacy. "We feel the lack of a strategy for disseminating the importance of the Constitution.". club-k.net (February 28, 2024) Once we become aware of its importance, we will then have to define strategies across various sectors to disseminate knowledge, and education plays a fundamental role in this. "We feel the lack of a strategy for disseminating the importance of the Constitution.". club-k.net (February 28, 2024) Society also has this responsibility, since we can convey various elements about the importance of the Constitution in several ways. For example, through theater, films, music, among others. "We feel the lack of a strategy for disseminating the importance of the Constitution.". club-k.net (February 28, 2024) It undoubtedly increases levels of civic awareness, maturity, and the way citizens understand their rights and duties, reinforcing patriotic sentiment. Indeed, we saw with the wave of success of our national football team that nothing else was being discussed but Angola. We were all united, regardless of creed, by patriotism. Therefore, we need to emphasize all of this, not only now with the great moment in football, but every day, and each of us must feel like a true patriot, respecting our flag, our symbols, the insignia, and the national anthem. "We feel the lack of a strategy for disseminating the importance of the Constitution.". club-k.net (February 28, 2024) The vandalism of public property is a reprehensible practice in every respect. It is also a demonstration that we lack awareness of our values. In this respect, we feel the absence of a strategy for disseminating the importance of the Constitution. "We feel the lack of a strategy for disseminating the importance of the Constitution.". club-k.net (February 28, 2024) It's relative. It's a question whose answer would keep us here all day, evaluating situation by situation. The Constitution is a kind of Bible. For example, according to the Constitution and the Law, men and women are all equal. The question that remains is: where do we materialize this principle in our daily lives? So, the challenge is to verify whether our public policies have respected the principle of equality, whether or not we separate men and women in access to the same places, or whether there is any policy that discriminates, etc. "We feel the lack of a strategy for disseminating the importance of the Constitution.". club-k.net (February 28, 2024) The family, for example, is the focal point of society, but how are we organized within the family structure? How do we view the issue of environmental protection, national symbols, or the right to life, which is the supreme good? Angola protects life, and that is why we do not have the death penalty. Compliance with the Constitution must be assessed in relation to each of these specific situations to verify whether or not it has been violated in certain circumstances. "We feel the lack of a strategy for disseminating the importance of the Constitution.". club-k.net (February 28, 2024) In matters within its jurisdiction, when violations are alleged, the interested parties raise the issues, and the Constitutional Court, in turn, assesses and analyzes them to determine whether or not there is unconstitutionality. Therefore, it is not technically correct to say: "we did not comply with the Constitution," but rather that there was an assessment of such and such a principle or norm, of a constitutional nature, which is evaluated only in relation to this or that issue. "We feel the lack of a strategy for disseminating the importance of the Constitution.". club-k.net (February 28, 2024) We can only assess abuses, meaning violations of the law or unconstitutional acts, when there is some kind of declaration of violation. However, we have received several cases, and, incidentally, most of them, in terms of legal actions, are related to what we call Extraordinary Appeals of Unconstitutionality (REI), which are submitted to the Constitutional Court from other courts, and the vast majority are habeas corpus petitions related to the privacy and freedom of individuals. "We feel the lack of a strategy for disseminating the importance of the Constitution.". club-k.net (February 28, 2024) We are talking about those situations where people are arrested for some reason and remain in custody for a long time without trial. Then, these people appeal to the court, claiming violations of their fundamental rights and requesting their release. In these cases, the court analyzes and assesses the situation, and, if there is a factual violation, grants the requests. "We feel the lack of a strategy for disseminating the importance of the Constitution.". club-k.net (February 28, 2024) Last year, for example, the Constitutional Court received approximately 77 cases, of which 56 were extraordinary appeals of unconstitutionality and 8 were related to habeas corpus. What I would like to remind all Angolans is, fundamentally, the results that come from the materialization of constitutional principles, and that we should retain the fact that the Constitution is an important instrument for all of us in the realization of our rights. We must be fully aware that the Constitution is not just an instrument for judges, magistrates, jurists, and academics. "We feel the lack of a strategy for disseminating the importance of the Constitution.". club-k.net (February 28, 2024) The Constitution is an instrument of the people, for the people. It is, fundamentally, our compass from the point of view of the organization of the State and social coexistence, whether in terms of cultural, economic, and social aspects, citizenship issues, or legal or state matters. We should all have a general understanding of what the Constitution is, conceptually, and its importance as an instrument for all Angolans. "We feel the lack of a strategy for disseminating the importance of the Constitution.". club-k.net (February 28, 2024) We don't need to know everything about the Constitution, but the essentials, the values, and knowing that we have an instrument that broadly defines our life in society would be excellent. The Constitution is the Bible, and all political parties must, in their actions, obey constitutional principles. All, without exception, both from the perspective of individuals as beings and as civil, partisan, and business organizations. There is no action or activity that can be carried out whose rules are out of harmony with the Constitution. The fact that it is the supreme fundamental law of the State means that it is the "Mother." "We feel the lack of a strategy for disseminating the importance of the Constitution.". club-k.net (February 28, 2024) It is the Mother who establishes the rules. Our fundamental rules as an organization of the State, our pact, are directed towards the Constitution of the Republic. Political parties, in their actions and relationship with the Government and other institutions, also have a duty to obey the Constitution. "We feel the lack of a strategy for disseminating the importance of the Constitution.". club-k.net (February 28, 2024) We do not react. The Constitutional Court does not react and should not react, because it lacks the competence to do so. The competences of the Constitutional Court are enshrined in the Constitution and the Law. According to the Constitution and the Law, the Constitutional Court issues resolutions and judgments. The Constitutional Court only speaks through these channels. It cannot publicly react, it has no procedural impetus, and it cannot take cognizance of a situation and assume a position. The Constitutional Court assesses, but there must be another body that submits or makes the request to us. "We feel the lack of a strategy for disseminating the importance of the Constitution.". club-k.net (February 28, 2024) The President of the Republic has this power, as do the National Assembly, the members of parliament, and the Bar Association. The Constitutional Court does not have the power to initiate proceedings, only to review them. "We feel the lack of a strategy for disseminating the importance of the Constitution.". club-k.net (February 28, 2024) This is somewhat related to the dynamics of how the Constitutional Court operates. These are considerations that apply within the precepts that each party defends and within the constitutional principle of freedom of expression. People can speak, but the Court should not, from a competency standpoint, react in this way. "We feel the lack of a strategy for disseminating the importance of the Constitution.". club-k.net (February 28, 2024) The implementation of these democratic principles and the consolidation of the Democratic Rule of Law presupposes a series of actions, both from jurisdictional and judicial bodies, from public administration bodies and from society in general. For example, when we talk about the issue of freedom of expression, we know that it has limits, and the Constitution states what those limits are. When I exercise my right to express myself freely, I do so because we are a democratic state governed by the rule of law, which provides for this right. But the Constitution itself says: you can express yourself freely, but you cannot exceed certain limits. "We feel the lack of a strategy for disseminating the importance of the Constitution.". club-k.net (February 28, 2024) The understanding of consolidation is still tenuous because we won't be able to consolidate our obligations, our duties, if we don't know them. "We feel the lack of a strategy for disseminating the importance of the Constitution.". club-k.net (February 28, 2024) Do I know what my rights are? If I do, I need to know what my duties are, because rights and duties always go hand in hand. In fact, it is obligations that then limit the exercise of some rights. Rights are not unlimited; there are restrictions, and the Constitution tells us under what circumstances rights, essentially fundamental rights, can be restricted. It is also the Constitution that shows the difference between restriction and limitation. "We feel the lack of a strategy for disseminating the importance of the Constitution.". club-k.net (February 28, 2024) Assessing a true democratic state governed by the rule of law requires evaluating a series of prerequisites involving various bodies and individuals, including civil society itself, both individually and collectively, while taking into account the specific circumstances of each case. We are talking, for example, about social protection, freedom of expression, the right to and protection of the environment, the right to housing, education, health—these are a series of nuances that we have to examine and anticipate. And these aspects are all enshrined in the Constitution, such as the right to civil unions or marriage. "We feel the lack of a strategy for disseminating the importance of the Constitution.". club-k.net (February 28, 2024) The Constitution was enacted in February 2010. At that time, I was working in the private sector. I entered the Public Administration in 2010, but in September, under this Constitution. Fourteen years have passed since then. In that regard, I am fully aware that the Constitution is an instrument that one must keep up with every day, depending on the challenges we face. "We feel the lack of a strategy for disseminating the importance of the Constitution.". club-k.net (February 28, 2024) I begin, fundamentally, with our structure as a country, as citizens, and as Angolans. This is addressed in Article 1, which defines who we are as a country and as Angolans, both internally and in terms of our vision of ourselves, Angola. "We feel the lack of a strategy for disseminating the importance of the Constitution.". club-k.net (February 28, 2024) Yes. This article states, from the outset, that our structure is built and founded on the dignity of the human person and the will of the Angolan people. In this respect, we have the sovereignty of the people; the people are in charge, and we are public servants, mandated by the people to work for the people. The people are sovereign, and all powers—Executive, Legislative, and Judicial—have their mandate based on the people. "We feel the lack of a strategy for disseminating the importance of the Constitution.". club-k.net (February 28, 2024) Everything enshrined in the Constitution is aligned with this objective. If each of us were to know this article, we would understand who we are, why we are, and why each of us must carry the flag of patriotism to defend our sovereignty, regardless of creed, political convictions, sex, ethnicity, or race. Nothing has changed. I maintain the same conviction. I would repeat what I said, in the same terms. I think we all have this responsibility to create mechanisms so that, in the face of difference—which is also a constitutional principle—we can respect the opinions of others and promote the debate of ideas. "We feel the lack of a strategy for disseminating the importance of the Constitution.". club-k.net (February 28, 2024) The Court is doing its part; civil society can do its part too. In this challenge, on the occasion of the 14th anniversary of the Constitution, some universities will be promoting debates on one topic or another. "We feel the lack of a strategy for disseminating the importance of the Constitution.". club-k.net (February 28, 2024) Always preserve its decision-making independence. “Each day that passes without documentation is a page lost. Each voice that falls silent without being recorded is a truth that dies.” O País “My wish is that the law should exert enough force on our consciences for all of us to fulfil our roles in this ongoing struggle to strengthen the democratic state governed by the rule of law.” Noticia “The Constitutional Court is subject to the law and therefore enjoys autonomy.” Radio Nacional de Angola “Since the Constitution is an instrument of the people and for the people…” Noticia “We are all too few for the great challenges that the Constitution, the laws, and society place before the Constitutional Court. We are all too few, but each one of us matters greatly.” Noticia “We feel the lack of a strategy for communicating the importance of the Constitution.” Plataforma Media the protection of fundamental rights is not merely an ethical or legal requirement, but a strategic imperative for the survival of our democracies. "Look at what we say, not what we do," advises Laurinda Cardoso. jornalf8.net (February3,2026) we ask that you not wait for others to fight for you. You are not the future. You are the present, and the present demands participation. "Look at what we say, not what we do," advises Laurinda Cardoso. jornalf8.net (February3,2026) Constitutional justice knows no borders Laurinda Cardoso believes that technology makes judicial systems more accessible. giranoticias.com (September5,2025) when we share jurisprudence, best practices and solidarity, we build bridges that strengthen the rule of law in all regions Laurinda Cardoso believes that technology makes judicial systems more accessible. giranoticias.com (September5,2025) The Constitution is an instrument of the people and for the people. We feel lack of a strategy for disseminating the importance of the constitution plataformamedia.com ( February7,2024) We feel the lack of a strategy for communicating the importance of the Constitution We feel lack of a strategy for disseminating the importance of the constitution plataformamedia.com ( February7,2024) We do not need to know everything about the Constitution, but the essentials, its values, and to know that we have an instrument that defines, in general terms, our life in society We feel lack of a strategy for disseminating the importance of the constitution plataformamedia.com ( February7,2024) External Link Category:Living people Category:1975 births