Senate President Alcolumbre May Delay STF Impeachment Decisions Until After Elections

Allies of Senate President Davi Alcolumbre indicate that he will wait for the results of the upcoming elections before deciding whether to open impeachment proceedings against ministers of the Supreme Federal Court (STF). Alcolumbre intends to determine the next president of the Republic and the composition of the 54 new senators before acting. This strategy is tied to his own campaign for the Senate presidency in February, as the impeachment of Minister Alexandre de Moraes is viewed as a key bargaining chip to secure support from Bolsonarista senators.

While Alcolumbre is known to be a friend of Moraes and has historically opposed his removal, some of his associates admit that a specific electoral outcome could make it difficult to block such a process. The possibility of impeachment is now being considered as a real scenario even by government base senators who previously rejected the idea. This shift follows revelations by Minister André Mendonça regarding the relationship between Moraes and former banker Daniel Vorcaro.

Simultaneously, Alcolumbre has discussed the possibility of opening impeachment proceedings against Minister Mendonça, with whom he has a strained relationship. Supporters of this move argue that Mendonça bypassed formal rites when requesting an investigation into Moraes. Some lawmakers suggest these scandals could lead to broader judicial reforms next year, including the implementation of fixed mandates or increasing the minimum age for appointments.

Following a personal meeting with Moraes on Wednesday, Alcolumbre responded to pressures for impeachment by mentioning a request for 130 million reais made to the same former banker by Senator Flávio Bolsonaro for a film about his father.