Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Andre Mendonca has ordered the suspension of federal police chief Andrei Rodrigues and the force’s intelligence chief, Leandro Almada, amid widening divisions within the court. The suspensions were announced on Tuesday and backed by a majority of one of the court’s five-member panels.
Why Mendonca ordered the suspensions
The order follows mutual accusations involving Mendonca and Justice Alexandre de Moraes. Mendonca, appointed by former President Jair Bolsonaro, has challenged the legality of federal police intelligence reports cited by de Moraes, who accused Mendonca of abusing his power and called for an investigation.
Mendonca made public a report last week detailing possible links between de Moraes and banker Daniel Vorcaro. Vorcaro was arrested in 2025 over allegations that he oversaw one of Brazil’s largest bank fraud schemes, leaving billions in owed money. The scandal has expanded to include political figures on both the left and right. For additional context, see “Herridge asks Supreme Court to stop daily fines over sources”.
Key points
- Mendonca accused Rodrigues and Almada of producing six illegal reports on the activities of justices.
- The government is expected to challenge the decision, potentially drawing President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva’s administration into the dispute.
- The first round of Brazil’s presidential election is scheduled for October 4.
- Federal police executive director William Marcel Murad said Rodrigues retains the agency’s “full confidence.”
Political pressure grows ahead of the vote
Institutional Relations Minister Jose Guimaraes, a senior aide to Lula, said investigating possible evidence of crimes was appropriate but described the measure as carrying an electoral motivation. A government challenge could turn the judicial dispute into a political battle before the presidential election.
The contest is described as close between Lula and Senator Flavio Bolsonaro, Jair Bolsonaro’s eldest son. Flavio Bolsonaro used the suspension to renew his claim that the prosecution of his father was a political “witch-hunt.” Jair Bolsonaro is serving a 27-year prison sentence after the Federal Police recommended charges against him in November 2024. Flavio Bolsonaro has also faced scrutiny over ties to Vorcaro after seeking the banker’s help to fund a film about his father. A related part of this story is covered in “Brazil’s top court faces allegations involving two justices”.
What happens next
The government may challenge the suspensions, while the court’s dispute over the legality of the intelligence reports remains unresolved.
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