President of the STF, Edson Fachin, defends the end of the fake news investigation and approval of the code of ethics

The president of the STF (Supreme Federal Court), Edson Fachin, defended this Friday (4) the end of the fake news investigation and the approval of his proposed code of ethics as a solution to the court's crisis.

The magistrate speaks at Palácio do Planalto this morning, in a ceremony that brings together the top leadership of the country's Justice system to sanction projects related to the Judiciary.

"There will be no precipitation, but neither will there be omission. The institutional response will be firm, proportional and rigorous. Recent events demonstrate the success and urgency of three goals of our management: the adoption of a code of ethics, the end of the fake news investigation and the modernization of the Justice system", he said.

At the end of his speech on the theme of the event, Fachin asked for permission to speak about the crisis in the STF between André Mendonça and Alexandre de Moraes.

"The facts are being investigated. This presidency will follow the procedures established by the Constitution and legislation. We will do what is right, in the time and in the manner that the legal order requires," he stated.

The statements were Fachin's first made in a speech. Previously, he had formally proceeded with the cases and asked those involved for explanations.

He spoke in the presence of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT), the president of the STJ (Superior Court of Justice), Luis Felipe Salomão, the Minister of Justice and Public Security, Wellington César Lima e Silva, the director general of the Federal Police, Andrei Rodrigues, the Attorney General of the Republic, Paulo Gonet, as well as judges, presidents of entities and advisors.

This Friday morning (4), Fachin withdrew from the investigation the request to open an investigation made by minister Alexandre de Moraes against André Mendonça.

According to him, the measure was taken due to the need to verify the regularity of Moraes' act. And then, for any assessment of the accusations made by the rapporteur to the colleague who handles the Master and INSS (National Social Security Institutes) cases.

The clash between the ministers opened a crisis of unprecedented proportions in the Supreme Court and Fachin was called in by both, as head of the Judiciary and president of the Supreme Court.

Moraes claims that Mendonça acted to direct the investigations, "with a breach of judicial impartiality and favoring certain political groups".

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 PF.

The measure was Moraes' response two days after Mendonça removed the confidentiality of a PF report that names his colleague as Vorcaro's interlocutor. In the decision, Mendonça signaled that he will take the possibility of investigating Moraes to the plenary.

The fake news inquiry was opened under Dias Toffoli's administration, in 2019, when he appointed Moraes, without a draw, to report on the investigation into attacks and threats to the court. The prolonged opening of the investigation has generated internal and external questions.