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🇧🇷 Brazil /Crime & Justice

Brazil’s Supreme Court Chief Calls for End to Fake News Inquiry

From Folha de S.Paulo · () Portuguese

Translated from Portuguese and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

News Named sources Ongoing story
  • Supreme Federal Court President Edson Fachin called for the end of the fake news inquiry and approval of a court ethics code.
  • Fachin removed from the inquiry a request by Justice Alexandre de Moraes to investigate Justice André Mendonça while checking whether the request followed proper procedure.
  • The dispute between the justices has produced an unprecedented crisis inside the court, while the inquiry has faced criticism over its prolonged duration.

Brazil's Supreme Federal Court president, Edson Fachin, has called for the end of the court's fake news inquiry as part of a response to a crisis that has placed its justices in open conflict. He also defended approval of a proposed code of ethics and modernization of the justice system.

Speaking at the Planalto Palace on Friday, Fachin said the institutional response would be firm and proportionate. "There will be no haste, but neither will there be omission. The institutional response will be firm, proportionate and rigorous," he said. He identified three priorities for his administration: adopting a code of ethics, ending the fake news inquiry and modernizing the justice system.

Earlier that morning, Fachin removed from the inquiry a request by Justice Alexandre de Moraes to open an investigation into Justice André Mendonça. He said the decision reflected the need to examine whether Moraes's action had followed proper procedure, before assessing the accusations made against Mendonça, who handles cases involving Banco Master and Brazil's National Social Security Institute.

There will be no haste, but neither will there be omission. The institutional response will be firm, proportionate and rigorous.

· Edson FachinThe Supreme Federal Court president described how he would respond to the crisis inside the court.

Moraes has accused Mendonça of steering investigations, breaking judicial impartiality and favoring political groups. He also alleged that Mendonça improperly handled plea-bargain negotiations and selected targets for investigation for "personal and political reasons, including the prior indication of precautionary measures" to be presented by federal police.

The dispute escalated after Mendonça lifted the secrecy of a federal police report that identified Moraes as an interlocutor of Vorcaro. Mendonça then indicated that he could take to the full court the possibility of investigating Moraes. The fake news inquiry began in 2019 under then-president Dias Toffoli, who appointed Moraes as rapporteur without a random draw. Its prolonged continuation has drawn criticism both inside and outside the court.

Personal and political reasons, including the prior indication of precautionary measures

· Alexandre de MoraesMoraes accused Mendonça of directing investigations and preselecting measures for federal police.
About this summary

Originally published by Folha de S.Paulo in Portuguese. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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