Brazil's Supreme Court canceled a second consecutive session of deliberations on Thursday, a rare move underscoring a profound institutional and political crisis. Suspicions of corruption, political bias, and police interference are casting a shadow over several justices, with the turmoil already impacting the national elections scheduled for October.
Chief Justice Luiz Edson Fachin ordered the cancellation, rescheduling the session for Tuesday, a day the court typically does not convene. The full court of 10 justices is set to examine whether Justice Alexandre de Moraes should face an investigation for alleged ties to the owner of Banco Master, a defunct institution shut down amid fraud allegations.
The current crisis within the court escalated on September 1, when Justice André Mendonca, appointed by former President Jair Bolsonaro, unsealed federal police documents. These documents revealed that banker Daniel Vorcaro had repeatedly sought legal advice from de Moraes. Tensions between de Moraes and Mendonca have intensified since this disclosure.
De Moraes, a conservative jurist, was lauded by supporters of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva after sentencing former President Jair Bolsonaro to 27 years in prison last year for an attempted coup. Mendonca previously served as Bolsonaro's solicitor-general before joining Brazil's highest court.
Earlier this week, de Moraes responded by requesting an inquiry into Mendonca, alleging abuse of power for interviewing the banker without law enforcement or prosecutors present.
Both President Lula da Silva and his electoral rival, Senator Flávio Bolsonaro, son of the former president, are now calling for investigations into the Supreme Court justices, aligning with their respective political parties. The leadership of Brazil's federal police has also become a point of contention, with competing Supreme Court decisions this week leading to the removal and subsequent reinstatement of its director-general amidst the judicial crossfire.