Bolsonaro Describes ex-Minister Moro’s Accusations as “Frivolous”

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – After Federal Supreme Court (STF) Justice Marco Aurélio Mello has suspended the inquiry investigating undue interference in the Federal Police, President Jair Bolsonaro said on Thursday, September 17th, that he hopes to “bury” the case, opened after accusations by the ex-Minister of Justice Sérgio Moro. During a live streaming on social media, Bolsonaro described the ex-Minister’s accusations as “frivolous”.

“God willing, we’ll bury this case and put an end to this travesty by the ex-Minister of Justice, who accused me frivolously,” said Bolsonaro. “He claims that he did not accuse me, that he presented facts. This Sérgio Moro is a joker!”, completed the President.

The ex-Minister left the government in April, after Bolsonaro dismissed the then Director General of the Federal Police, Maurício Valeixo. According to Moro, the President was trying to appoint someone closer to him and also demanded access to intelligence from the police force. After the indictment, the Office of the Prosecutor General began to investigate the case.

However, on Thursday, STF Justice Marco Aurélio ordered the investigation to be suspended until the full Supreme Court could decide on how Bolsonaro’s testimony to investigators should be made – in person or in writing.

The dean of the Court, Justice Celso de Mello, the case rapporteur, had ruled individually, before going on medical leave, that the interrogation should be conducted in person. He had also authorized Moro to submit questions, through his attorneys, to be answered by the President. Bolsonaro also criticized this point in the ruling.

“Celso de Melo wanted me to testify in person for two of Moro’s attorneys, plus Sérgio Moro himself. Moro has nothing to ask me,” said the President. However, Celso’s decision says that the questions would be submitted through the attorneys, and not by the ex-Minister himself.

The decision to suspend the case until a plenary decision was made by Marco Aurélio because Justice Celso de Mello is on medical leave until September 26th. Marco Aurélio, as the second longest-serving STF justice after the dean, inherited the rapporteur position from his colleague.