President Lula Calls for Full Transparency in Master Case Amid Supreme Court Crisis

President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva called for the complete lifting of secrecy surrounding the Master case investigations on Wednesday. In a post on the social media platform X, Lula described the situation as the largest financial crime in Brazilian history and argued that the public deserves explanations to resolve an institutional crisis within the Judiciary. He specifically criticized selective leaks of information, stating that such leaks impact electoral disputes. Lula cited the Operação Spoofing as a positive example of transparency to be followed.

The Master case involves allegations that the defunct Banco Master artificially inflated its value using credit portfolios without real backing to attract billions from investors. The investigation has triggered a severe internal conflict within the Supreme Federal Court (STF). The crisis escalated after Justice André Mendonça questioned the relationship between Justice Alexandre de Moraes and former banker Daniel Vorcaro. In response, Moraes ordered investigations into Mendonça's own conduct. This dispute led to the temporary removal of Federal Police Director General Andrei Rodrigues and Intelligence Director Leandro Almada by Justice Mendonça, though Justice Flávio Dino later overturned that decision and reinstated the officers.

Outlets with a center right lean provide additional context regarding the political stakes of the secrecy. They note that Justice Mendonça has kept certain parts of the investigation private, specifically those involving payments to a production company for a biopic about former President Jair Bolsonaro. These sources suggest that Lula's allies want this information released because it could potentially benefit the president's campaign by implicating his political opponents.