A wing of ministers of the STF (Supreme Federal Court) has evaluated Alexandre de Moraes' attempt to open an investigation against André Mendonça for abuse of authority as an action to involve the entire court in the dispute. The measure, announced on Thursday (3), generated internal discomfort, especially among magistrates close to Mendonça.
For a group of ministers, Moraes tries to equate the conduct of different colleagues that emerged during the investigation of the Banco Master case and garner internal support. In this way, he would contaminate the entire court and amplify the already established crisis.
Also according to this group, the conduct pointed out by Moraes in his accusations against Mendonça are not comparable to the link identified between him and former banker Daniel Vorcaro.
There is also an understanding that Moraes also went overboard in his response to Mendonça by choosing the fake news investigation as a means of counterattack. The procedure is controversial and there has been a discussion at least since the administration of Luis Roberto Barroso (2023-2025) that it should be ended.
In this way, this wing of ministers argues that Moraes opened even more space for criticism of the court and removed the court from the possibility of resuming normality. According to this view, Moraes should have just sent a letter to the president of the court asking for action in the face of what he considered abuse of authority on the part of Mendonça.
The ministers report, behind the scenes, that they were warned by Fachin, president of the STF, of the decision to ask for explanations from everyone involved in the case: Mendonça and Moraes, in addition to the Attorney General of the Republic, Paulo Gonet, and the Director General of the PF, Andrei Rodrigues.
Moraes' decision within the scope of the fake news inquiry, however, caught colleagues by surprise. For magistrates critical of Moraes' methods, he could explain the allegations against him instead of involving other members.
In the measure signed on Thursday, Moraes says that there are PF intelligence reports that talk about directing the production of evidence to falsely attribute crimes to STF ministers, with express mention of himself, Gilmar Mendes, Dias Toffoli, Luiz Fux and Kassio Nunes Marques.
Kassio's son, lawyer Kevin de Carvalho Marques, received R$281,600 between 2024 and 2025 from a consultancy that worked for Master. Fux's son, Rodrigo Fux, was offered a ticket to Daniel Vorcaro's VIP box at Marquês de Sapucaí. Invited by the former banker, he attended the Rio Carnival Parade of Champions in 2025.
In the case of Toffoli, Folha revealed in January that family companies were partners in a fraudulent network of Master investment funds. The information triggered the process that culminated in the minister's departure from the investigation rapporteur in February.
Moraes' case includes the revelation that the law firm of his wife, Viviane Barci de Moraes, received R$80 million from Banco Master, in addition to messages from Vorcaro, identified as leader of the criminal organization.
The fact that Moraes included a crime of responsibility in the practices he wants to see investigated also caused discomfort. The choice was seen as a sign that the magistrate sees the possibility of impeaching Mendonça.
In this case, Mendonça's allies in the court state, with reservations, that Moraes is the target of the largest number of requests of this type in the Senate, the legislative house responsible for processes of this type, while the Master's rapporteur is the recipient of just one.
According to Moraes, the colleague irregularly handled plea bargains and targeted certain targets for the investigation "for personal and political reasons, including with the prior indication of precautionary measures" to be presented by the Federal Police.
These targets would be Moraes himself and the president of the Senate, Davi Alcolumbre (União Brasil-AP). The senator is an ally of Moraes. And, as president of the Senate, he is responsible for opening impeachment requests for Supreme Court ministers.
Also on Tuesday, Alcolumbre stated that it is not normal for there to be 109 requests for impeachment against STF ministers. The statement was a response to new messages from Vorcaro and Moraes.
The Bolsonaro opposition in Congress and the PL presidential candidate, Flávio Bolsonaro, once again pressed for Moraes' impeachment. But Alcolumbre's allies consider that the chance of a process like this moving forward is zero at the moment.
SUSPICIONS AND INCONSISTENCIES IN MORAES’ ACTIONS
Editing contract with wife's law firm
Payment from Master Bank to wife's law firm
Prior access to police investigations
Conversation with Vorcaro about escape
Report without probative value in the investigation request against Mendonça
SUSPICIONS AND INCONSISTENCIES IN MENDONÇA’S PERFORMANCE
Order an investigation of a minister without going through the plenary
Pressure on the PF and request for access to raw data
He went beyond the role of judge, according to the PGR
It aimed at favoring political groups, according to Moraes
Meeting with Vorcaro before taking on the role of rapporteur and before launching the operation
Dispute timeline
