Lula's statement about using public office for his own benefit during the STF crisis

President Lula (PT) said this Friday (4) that no one, in the name of democracy, can use a high position in public administration for their own benefit.

The PT member made the statement while talking about the crisis that hit the STF (Supreme Federal Court) after revelations about the relationship between minister Alexandre de Moraes and Daniel Vorcaro, former banker who owns Banco Master.

"No one, in the name of democracy, can use the position they have for personal benefit. This applies to the President of the Republic, this applies to a collector of recyclable material, this applies to a midwife, this applies to a doctor", declared Lula.

Lula did not mention Moraes or also minister André Mendonça, rapporteur of the Master process and another of the pivots of the crisis in the Supreme Court.

On Tuesday (1), it was revealed that Vorcaro, two days before being arrested and about to travel abroad, asked Moraes if he should flee the country. Furthermore, the minister issued a contract worth R$131 million between his wife's law firm, Viviane Barci de Moraes, and Master.

Sectors close to Lula used to say that Moraes had helped save Brazilian democracy as president of the TSE (Superior Electoral Court) in 2022 and in the following years, in the process that culminated in the conviction and imprisonment of former president Jair Bolsonaro (PL) for an attempted coup.

In private conversations, PT members admitted that Moraes exaggerated his decisions, but stated that at that time this type of measure was necessary to prevent Bolsonaro from carrying out a coup d'état.

Lula gave the statements at the Planalto Palace. Among those present were the president of the STF, Edson Fachin, and the attorney general of the Republic, Paulo Gonet — himself mentioned in the scandal.

The head of government also defended a reform of the justice system.

"I am sure that next year we will have an in-depth discussion about the need for a new reform in the Brazilian Judiciary so that the people can continue to believe in Justice," said Lula.

The PT member is at the end of his term as president and is a candidate for re-election. He tries not to suffer damage to his image because of the crisis in the STF, a Court with which he was close during the years of his current term.

Lula said it was up to Fachin and Gonet to resolve the crisis. He also criticized the "selective leaks" of investigations. "If we don't stop this, we will lose the credibility that we want Brazilian society to have in the courts," he stated.