STF to Meet Amid Institutional Crisis Over Moraes and Vorcaro Messages

The Brazilian Supreme Federal Court (STF) is scheduled to meet on Tuesday, September 15, to address an institutional crisis involving Justice Alexandre de Moraes and messages exchanged with businessman Daniel Vorcaro, the former owner of Banco Master. The session will determine whether to open an investigation into Moraes following a Federal Police report that details communications between the justice and the banker. The crisis has led STF President Edson Fachin to remove Moraes from the relatorship of the Fake News inquiry and to prohibit Justice André Mendonça from advancing investigations that could target other members of the court.

Internal divisions have emerged regarding the conduct of the session. A group of justices aligned with Moraes, including Gilmar Mendes, has sought to postpone the meeting. Justice Mendes formally requested the postponement to allow for a more comprehensive analysis of documents and suggested that the court also judge allegations of abuse of authority against Justice Mendonça. Conversely, Justice Mendonça had previously requested the session to analyze evidence obtained from Vorcaro's phone. The Attorney General, Paulo Gonet, has stated he will attend the session despite President Fachin's preference that he be represented by a deputy, as Federal Police dialogues also mention Gonet.

The court is also deliberating whether the session will be public or held under secrecy. While the Constitution generally mandates public trials, the STF internal regulations allow for closed sessions if the public interest requires it. Some justices expressed concern that a live broadcast could be used as political ammunition for upcoming elections or could devolve into a professional conflict that damages the image of the court.

Center right sources frame the event as a critical test of judicial transparency and a potential political misuse of closed sessions. Center sources focus more on the internal power struggle between the pro Moraes and pro Mendonça wings of the court, describing the potential for institutional carnage.