Lula Expected to Seek Institutional Way Out of Crisis and Avoid Attacks on Mendonça

After meeting with allies and ministers, President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva is expected to seek an institutional way out of the crisis between Brazil’s Supreme Federal Court and Federal Police. He is expected to defend what he calls institutional solutions to a “crisis of institutional order.”

Lula had tried to remain distant from the dispute among the justices, but the removal of Federal Police Director-General Andrei Rodrigues became the point at which he was expected to speak. The planned response is not a frontal attack. Allies fear that confronting Justice André Mendonça could make voters see Lula as too close to Justice Alexandre de Moraes, an association the campaign is determined to avoid.

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Crisis of institutional order

The presidential palace was expected to issue a statement on Tuesday. Its tone would be calm but firm in defense of the institutions, without naming members of the Supreme Federal Court. One person close to Lula said, on condition of anonymity, that the instruction was to avoid amplifying the crisis and “pour water on the fire.”

Criticism of Mendonça is expected to come instead from the Workers’ Party and Lula’s allies. Within the government, some believe Mendonça’s actions could ultimately turn against him. Officials at the presidential palace say the justice crossed limits, went too far and is trying to interfere in the electoral process.

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Pour water on the fire