Brazil’s Supreme Court has cancelled two consecutive days of hearings as allegations of corruption, political bias, and police interference cast a shadow over several justices. Chief Justice Luiz Edson Fachin announced on Thursday that the court would not resume sessions until Tuesday, a rare move underscoring the severity of the institutional crisis.
The disruption began on September 1 when Justice Andre Mendonca, a appointee of former President Jair Bolsonaro, authorized the release of federal police documents. The files contain approximately 30 text messages allegedly sent by disgraced banker Daniel Vorcaro to a phone number linked to Justice Alexandre de Moraes.
De Moraes has become a polarizing figure in Brazilian politics for presiding over the coup-plot trial of former President Bolsonaro and for ordering the suspension of social media platforms X and Rumble after they failed to comply with court directives. These actions have made him a primary target for the political right.
In response to the document leak, De Moraes accused Mendonca of abusing his judicial authority for political advantage. He has requested an investigation into whether Mendonca interviewed Vorcaro without the presence of law enforcement or prosecutors.
The upcoming session will involve the full bench of eleven justices, with ten members deliberating on whether to open a formal inquiry into De Moraes regarding the alleged communications with Vorcaro.
This judicial turmoil is a direct consequence of the Banco Master corruption scandal. Vorcaro, the head of the Banco Master financial group, was arrested in November 2025 on charges of defrauding investors out of billions of dollars. The collapse of the bank’s private banking division resulted in over $7 billion in debt, triggering one of the most significant financial scandals in the nation’s history.
The scandal has drawn lawmakers from across the political spectrum into its orbit, raising concerns about its impact on the general elections scheduled for October. Incumbent President Lula is set to face Flavio Bolsonaro, the eldest son of the former president now serving a 27-year sentence.
Both presidential candidates have demanded investigations into Supreme Court justices. The Bolsonaro family is also implicated; reports released in May indicated that Senator Flavio Bolsonaro approached Vorcaro for funding for a film about his father. While Flavio Bolsonaro denies any wrongdoing, claiming he only sought private sponsorship for the project titled Dark Horse, police raided the homes of key figures involved in the production on Thursday, including producer Mario Frias and Karina Gama.
Senator Bolsonaro has characterized the recent raids and investigations as attempted political interference designed to influence the outcome of the upcoming elections.
It is shocking that federal police documents were leaked this way. The conflict between de Moraes and Mendonca seems completely irreconcilable right now.
This corruption scandal is spiraling out of control. I wonder if the Supreme Court can even restore public trust before the elections begin.