Brazil: Moraes Asks the Court to Investigate Justice Mendonça

Brazil · JUSTICE

A Brazilian Supreme Court justice has asked the court to investigate a colleague. The move deepens an unprecedented crisis.

Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes has asked the court to investigate fellow Justice André Mendonça. The request, filed on September 3, 2026, alleges abuse of authority and political motives.

Moraes Files Petition Against Mendonça

On September 3, 2026, Justice Alexandre de Moraes petitioned Edson Fachin, STF president.

The petition seeks an investigation into Justice André Mendonça.

G1 reported that Moraes cited strong evidence of administrative misconduct, abuse of authority, and crimes of responsibility. He also mentioned favoritism toward certain political groups in Mendonça’s handling of the Master and INSS cases.

Fake-News Inquiry Used as Basis

Moraes filed the request within the scope of the fake-news inquiry, an investigation into attacks on the court. Correio Braziliense reported that Moraes used this inquiry to accuse Mendonça of a crime of responsibility.

The fake-news inquiry was originally created to investigate threats and slander against STF justices. Using it to target a fellow justice is highly unusual.

Specific Allegations Against Mendonça

In his decision, Moraes referred to two cases: PET 15041, known as Operation Sem Desconto, and PET 15556, Operation Compliance Zero. He alleged that Mendonça, as rapporteur, broke judicial impartiality and favored political groups.

Correio Braziliense quoted Moraes saying Mendonça’s conduct could constitute administrative misconduct and abuse of authority. These are serious accusations against a sitting justice.

Fachin Sets Five-Business-Day Deadline

STF President Edson Fachin responded by opening a procedure and giving four officials five business days to respond. The officials are Moraes, Mendonça, Prosecutor-General Paulo Gonet, and Federal Police Director Andrei Rodrigues.

O Globo reported the deadline on September 3, and SBT News confirmed it on September 4. The officials must provide written information about data found on a cellphone.

Background: The Vorcaro Messages

The crisis began when Mendonça lifted secrecy on a Federal Police report about messages between ex-banker Daniel Vorcaro and Moraes. The report, 218 pages long, was sent to the Prosecutor-General’s Office.

Folha de S.Paulo reported on September 1 that the revelations caused a crisis in the court. Mendonça’s decision to expose the messages angered Moraes and other justices.

Heated Argument Between Justices

Correio Braziliense reported that Moraes and Mendonça had a heated argument backstage at the STF. This happened after Moraes learned of the revelations involving him.

Mendonça was reportedly considering asking for an investigation into Moraes. He planned to discuss the matter with Fachin, the court president.

Mendonça’s Defense and Plenary Plan

Mendonça wrote that the case must go to the STF plenary, the full court. He said this is the sovereign instance to analyze new elements technically and legally.

UOL reported his statement on September 1. He wanted to bring the investigation involving Moraes to the full court after talking with Fachin.

Federal Police Director’s View

Federal Police Director Andrei Rodrigues saw abuse of authority and nullity in Mendonça’s orders. UOL reported this on September 1, noting a divergence over whether this constituted a new investigation of Moraes.

Rodrigues is one of the four officials now required to respond to Fachin’s deadline. His role in the case is central.

Crisis Described as Unprecedented

Folha de S.Paulo described the situation as an unprecedented crisis in the court. SBT News called it an unprecedented challenge to the court’s habit of protecting its own members.

BBC News Brasil also noted the crisis, saying the trigger was Mendonça’s removal of secrecy from the police report. The report contained messages attributed to Vorcaro and sent to a contact named Moraes.

Moraes’s Majority in the Court

An O Globo columnist wrote that Moraes can currently count on seven allies among the eleven justices, against three for Mendonça. This is one writer’s estimate, not an official vote count.

The court’s internal dynamics are complex, and this case tests its unity. No outcome is predicted.

Mendonça’s Public Statement

On September 3, Mendonça spoke about honoring the people’s trust in the judiciary. Folha de S.Paulo reported his statement, made two days after the revelations.

His comments came during the crisis, but he did not directly address the petition against him. The court remains divided.

The Alcolumbre Angle

Moraes’s petition also accuses Mendonça of targeting Senate President Davi Alcolumbre for personal and political reasons, BBC News Brasil reported. This is an allegation by Moraes, not a proven fact.

Asked about the leaked Vorcaro-Moraes messages, Alcolumbre said on September 1: “I found nothing, and I am not supposed to find anything.” He did not address Moraes’s accusation against Mendonça directly.

What Happens Next

The four officials must respond within five business days from September 3. After that, Fachin will decide on the next steps.

No charges have been filed against Mendonça. The investigation is in its early stages, and the outcome is uncertain.

The Federal Police Report

On 1 September 2026, UOL reported a 218-page Federal Police report. It detailed relations between Daniel Vorcaro and Alexandre de Moraes.

The report was prepared at the request of Justice André Mendonça, who later lifted its secrecy, exposing the messages.

Vorcaro’s Role and the Master Case

Daniel Vorcaro is a former banker of Banco Master, a Brazilian bank.

The Master-INSS case is one of two where Moraes alleges Mendonça committed misconduct.

The other case is Operation Compliance Zero, which also involves Vorcaro. These cases are identified by their petition numbers: PET 15041 and PET 15556.

Institutional Context

The Supreme Federal Court (STF) is Brazil’s highest court, and its president, Edson Fachin, oversees procedures. The Prosecutor-General’s Office (PGR) is led by Paulo Gonet, and the Federal Police by Andrei Rodrigues.

The fake-news inquiry is an investigation into attacks on the court. Moraes used this inquiry to file his petition against Mendonça, as reported by Correio Braziliense on 3 September 2026.

Next Steps in the Process

On 3 September 2026, Fachin gave five business days for Moraes, Gonet, and Rodrigues to provide written information. The next day, SBT News reported that Mendonça was also included in this deadline.

After receiving the information, Fachin will decide on the next steps. Mendonça has stated that the case should go to the full court, as quoted by UOL on 1 September 2026.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the fake-news inquiry?

It is an investigation by Brazil’s Supreme Court into attacks and threats against its justices. It was created to protect the court, but now it is being used to investigate a justice.

Why is this investigation unusual?

A justice asking to investigate a fellow justice is rare in Brazil’s Supreme Court. Using the fake-news inquiry for this purpose is unprecedented.

Who must respond to Fachin’s deadline?

Four officials: Justices Moraes and Mendonça, Prosecutor-General Paulo Gonet, and Federal Police Director Andrei Rodrigues. They have five business days to provide written information.

What did Mendonça do to trigger this?

He lifted secrecy on a police report about messages between ex-banker Daniel Vorcaro and Moraes. This exposed potentially embarrassing information and sparked the crisis.

Sources: G1; Correio Braziliense; O Globo; SBT News; Folha de S.Paulo; UOL; BBC News Brasil.