Before the elections in Brazil: Telenovela in the Brazilian justice system

Almost three weeks before the presidential election, things are like a telenovela in Brazil. The police are investigating the man who promises the end of all corruption and wants to become Brazil's next head of state - on suspicion of money laundering, currency evasion and corruption. Flávio Bolsonaro, son of coup leader Jair Bolsonaro, who was sentenced to 27 years in prison, has asked the imprisoned former head of Banco Master, Daniel Vorcaro, for donations of more than 120 million reais.

It has now become known that federal judge André Mendonça initiated an investigation, but kept the results of the investigation secret. Presumably because his colleagues at the Brazilian Supreme Court STF are involved in the scandal.

When the news portal “The Intercept” published cell phone messages between Bolsonaro’s son and the criminal banker in May, Lula supporters rejoiced at the challenger’s negative headlines. Flávio has since emphasized that it was a private donation for a documentary about his father and had nothing to do with politics.

He never proved where how much money actually went. He complains about “selective” data publication that is intended to harm him politically. Evangelical voters in particular resented him for repeatedly denying his involvement, and his poll numbers suffered. Until recently.

Last Thursday, federal judge André Mendonça, appointed by Father Bolsonaro in 2021, decided to disclose other investigation files. They show: Federal judge Alexandre de Morães was also familiar with Vorcaro. This is all the more shocking since the 57-year-old Morães had established himself as a moral authority in Brazil. He was responsible for condemning the coup plotters, including former President Jair Bolsonaro, and impressed with his unyielding stance in defense of democracy.

The first scratches on this image arose when it became known at the end of 2025 that Morãe's wife's law office had concluded a multi-million dollar contract with Banco Master boss Vorcaro. The judge emphasized at the time that he had nothing to do with this business relationship. Now it looks as if he helped shape the contract himself. In addition, until shortly before the banker's arrest, he had several personal contacts with Vorcaro, whose now liquidated bank was operating with, among other things, counterfeit assets.

The possible criminal activities of the presidential candidate, the banker's far-reaching attempts at corruption and the partisan and possibly corrupt behavior of the highest judges are triggering the biggest judicial scandal that Brazil has experienced to date. The Supreme Court, which is actually a neutral body, is becoming increasingly politicized and losing credibility. Flávio Bolsonaro is using the situation to damage the opposing campaign by linking Morães to the president.

Conservative STF judges and right-wing politicians are calling for impeachment proceedings against Morães. He in turn calls for investigations into abuse of power against Mendonça. On Tuesday he prophylactically ordered the removal from office of the head of the federal police and the head of the police secret service because they had been illegally spying on him and the federal prosecutor for more than a month. Another fellow judge, Flávio Dino, reversed this decision on the same day in order not to hinder the ongoing investigations against, among others, Lula's son on suspicion of abuse of power.

Before there could be more confusion, Supreme Court Chairman Edson Fachin canceled two sessions of the Court, annulled the decisions of the two judges and ordered the Federal Police Chief to remain in office until a final decision by the plenary session. In addition, Fachin decided on Friday that all secrecy in the Banco Master case should be lifted and all judges should be provided with the complete investigation documents within 24 hours.

The telenovela continues on Tuesday. The judges then meet to discuss the crisis and vote on whether to open an investigation into Alexandre de Morães.