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STF Justice Alexandre de Moraes Requests Investigation into Justice André Mendonça

6 sources · Brazil

Who reported this

  • G1 Brazil · Centre-left · Grupo Globo (Marinho family)
  • UOL Brazil · Centre-left · Grupo Folha
  • CNN Brasil Brazil · Centre · Rubens Menin (MRV)
  • Folha de S.Paulo Brazil · Centre · Grupo Folha (Frias family)
  • Estadao Brazil · Centre-right · Grupo Estado (Mesquita family)
  • Gazeta do Povo Brazil · Centre-right · Grupo Paranaense de Comunicacao

What the colours mean

  • Left
  • Centre-left
  • Centre
  • Centre-right
  • Right
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Every source for this story reports from Brazil.

Supreme Federal Court (STF) Justice Alexandre de Moraes has requested that Justice André Mendonça be investigated for abuse of authority, administrative improbity, and crimes of responsibility. The request was submitted to the president of the court, Edson Fachin, within the framework of the ongoing Fake News inquiry. This move follows a recent decision by Mendonça to lift the secrecy of a Federal Police (PF) report containing messages between Moraes and banker Daniel Vorcaro, the owner of Banco Master.

Moraes bases his accusations on PF intelligence reports which suggest that Mendonça overstepped his judicial role to act as an investigator in the Sem Desconto and Compliance Zero operations. The reports allege that Mendonça sought direct access to raw digital evidence, interfered in plea bargain negotiations, and suggested benefits not provided by law. Furthermore, the PF reports indicate that Mendonça may have biased the investigations to target specific individuals, including Justice Moraes and Senate President Davi Alcolumbre, for personal and political reasons.

Justice Fachin has ordered all involved parties, including Moraes, Mendonça, the Attorney General, and the Director General of the PF, to provide statements within five business days. The conflict has sparked significant political reaction. Opposition lawmakers have criticized the move as an act of intimidation and a misuse of the Fake News inquiry. Conversely, government allies have focused their comments on the alleged irregularities of Banco Master and its ties to former President Jair Bolsonaro.

Outlets with a center lean emphasize the procedural details of the PF reports and the specific allegations of judicial bias. Center left sources highlight the asymmetry in how Mendonça treated different politicians and the potential illegality of his involvement in plea bargains. Center right sources frame the event as a retaliatory strike by Moraes to deflect attention from his own alleged ties to Daniel Vorcaro and describe the situation as a formal war within the court.

How each side framed it

Centre-left
Emphasized the asymmetry of Mendonça's actions against politicians and the breach of legal rules regarding plea bargains.
Centre
Focused on the specific allegations of judicial overreach and the procedural steps taken by the court.
Centre-right
Framed the action as a retaliatory move by Moraes to silence investigations into his own conduct.

Sources

100% of the statements in this article were traced back to the source articles listed above.