The root of Brazil’s Supreme Court crisis lies in its fascination with robed heroes

Brazil’s endless Supreme Federal Court crisis began with a fascination for “robed heroes,” the article argues, turning judges into figures seen as capable of doing anything and standing above the law.

The problem, in this telling, is not simply that certain judges chose to behave that way. They were created by a Brazilian public hungry for heroes, then gained power, numbers and confidence as institutions, including the Supreme Court itself, failed to restrain them.

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what needs to be done

Disappointed with politicians, Brazilians began looking to judges as moral saviors who could sweep corruption from the country or deliver social justice. The appeal rested on the belief that a strong figure, accountable to no one, could fix what was broken and do “what needs to be done.” The article calls that a populist fallacy that attracted both the right and the left.

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guardian of democracy

The chosen heroes changed over time. For some, Joaquim Barbosa became that figure after leading the 2012 Mensalão trial. Later, lower-court judge Sergio Moro was celebrated during Lava Jato demonstrations, sometimes represented by a “Super-Moro” doll. Under Jair Bolsonaro, heroification shifted toward ministers who confronted the president over the pandemic, the electoral system and the balance between branches of government.

For Brazilians who wanted Bolsonaro removed from power, or imprisoned as eventually happened, Alexandre de Moraes rose to the top of the robed pantheon. Social media hailed him as a “guardian of democracy” and “hero of the Republic,” while supporters urged him on with “go, Xandão” after his decisions, even when the methods used were questionable.

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hero of the Republic

The article says the coup-like nature of the Jan. 8, 2023, acts and the strong evidence that led to Bolsonaro’s conviction do not erase alleged abuses by the Supreme Court in the name of defending democracy. It singles out the Fake News inquiry, opened by the court on its own initiative, and says Moraes attempted last week to use it against Justice André Mendonça after Mendonça exposed his potentially criminal ties to banker Daniel Vorcaro. The confrontation, the article says, has begun producing a new robed hero on the opposite side.

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go, Xandão