Bolsonarists react to the request for an investigation against minister André Mendonça by Alexandre de Moraes

Bolsonarists reacted to Minister Alexandre de Moraes, of the STF (Supreme Federal Court), who asked, this Thursday (3), that their colleague André Mendonça be investigated for abuse of authority, administrative improbity and criminal responsibility in the handling of the case of Banco Master and INSS (National Social Security Institute).

The order was signed as part of the fake news inquiry and forwarded to the president of the STF, Edson Fachin, for action.

Presidential candidate Flávio Bolsonaro (PL) tried to link the magistrate to his main opponent in the campaign, President Lula (PT). "Brazil is much bigger than Lula's minister. Yes, Lula and Moraes will lose because Brazil will win," he wrote on social media.

Later, he wrote, without presenting evidence, that there would be an "illegal action" against him, by senator Davi Alcolumbre (União Brasil-AP), de Moraes and minister Flávio Dino. "If this is confirmed, it will be proof that Brazil has become a floodplain, a lawless land, where those who think they own the country set up farces against their opponents."

The presidential candidate's brother, former deputy Eduardo Bolsonaro (PL), who was convicted in the Supreme Court this year for coercion, said that Moraes proves that the "only use of the fake news investigation" is to persecute. "Dictators always double down before they fall. It's nothing new. The time has come to extirpate this cancer from Brazil and send him to jail for his abuses of power," he said on social media.

The candidate for President of Novo, Romeu Zema, who has been campaigning based on criticism of the Supreme Court, spoke of the "dictatorship of Alexandre de Moraes" and that anyone who threatens his power will be quickly annihilated. He also defended the magistrate's arrest.

"The spoiled Moraes is nervous. Pathetic," deputy Nikolas Ferreira (PL-MG) said on social media, reacting to the news of the investigation request. "Mendonça has to arrest Moraes in plenary", he wrote afterwards.

Senator Rogério Marinho (PL-RN), who is coordinator of Flávio Bolsonaro's campaign, said on social media that Moraes transforms an inquiry opened seven years ago "into an instrument of personal power".

For Marinho, the minister "resorts to the same investigation to advance against André Mendonça precisely when the minister is conducting investigations that reveal serious facts involving Moraes himself."

"It is an intolerable inversion of values: those who should provide clarifications to Brazilian institutions and people use exceptional investigative powers under their command to embarrass those supervising a serious investigation."

Another ally of Bolsonarism who criticized Moraes was former prosecutor Deltan Dallagnol, who is a candidate for the Senate in Paraná for the Novo party. He posted that "Brazil is collapsing before our eyes."

"We are at a critical moment in our Republic. This has never happened in Brazil. Moraes is using an illegal investigation reported by himself and for his own benefit to accuse Minister André Mendonça of crimes, which is absolutely illegal," he wrote.

Evangelical pastor Silas Malafaia, also a target of Moraes in the Supreme Court, said that "either the Federal Supreme Court puts an end to this guy or else the Republic is over."

“Does this mean that the criminal is André Mendonça and not Alexandre de Moraes?” said pastor Silas Malafaia. "Who is the criminal in the story? Alexandre de Moraes. Bought for R$130 million."

This Thursday, President Lula spoke for the first time about the accusations involving Moraes since more conversations by Daniel Vorcaro were revealed on Tuesday (1st). He said that the time has come for people who work in life to put public commitment ahead of their personal interests, but he did not name names.

"Given the gravity of the moment, the Brazilian people expect the president of the Supreme Court and the Attorney General's Office to lead a process that guarantees integrity and trust in investigations," he said.

The PT tries to distance itself from the case to avoid consequences in the electoral campaign. The party's president, Edinho Silva, stated on Wednesday (2) that the population "can no longer bear to live in this system of corruption and privileges". "No one is above the law, be it an ordinary citizen, a government official, a parliamentarian or even a member of the Judiciary."