STF President Intervenes as Internal Crisis Over Justice Moraes Deepens

Supreme Federal Court (STF) President Edson Fachin has taken several measures to stabilize the court following a severe internal conflict between Justices Alexandre de Moraes and André Mendonça. Fachin removed Justice Moraes from the relatorship of the fake news inquiry, a case Moraes had controlled for over seven years, and suspended conflicting decisions made by Justices Mendonça and Flávio Dino regarding the leadership of the Federal Police. As a result, Andrei Rodrigues remains the director general of the police force. Fachin also ruled that any investigations involving STF justices must first pass through the court presidency and scheduled a plenary session for Tuesday, September 15, to decide whether to open an investigation into Justice Moraes over his alleged relationship with Daniel Vorcaro, the owner of Banco Master.

The crisis began when Justice Mendonça released a Federal Police report detailing messages between Justice Moraes and Vorcaro. Justice Moraes responded by using the fake news inquiry to accuse Justice Mendonça of abuse of authority. This led to a series of retaliatory legal moves, including Justice Mendonça's attempt to remove the director of the Federal Police and Justice Dino's subsequent order to reinstate him. Amidst this turmoil, Justice Moraes announced a public statement for Thursday, September 10, but later canceled and rescheduled it.

Political and legal observers are divided on the implications of the conflict. Some former Justice Ministers argue that the answers to the crisis must come from within the STF to preserve the institution and protect democracy. Others, including presidential candidates, describe the situation as a power struggle between factions. International coverage from The Economist characterized the situation as a repugnant corruption scandal that threatens Brazilian democracy. Analysts also suggest the instability could impact upcoming elections, potentially harming candidates Lula and Flávio Bolsonaro depending on how the court resolves the investigations.