Brazil: Federal Police chief suspended amid institutional crisis
A Supreme Court judge has ordered the suspension of the director of the Brazilian Federal Police, worsening the political crisis less than a month before the elections.
Suspension of Federal Police chief: Brazil slides deeper into crisis
A judge of the Brazilian Supreme Court ordered on Tuesday the suspension of the director of the Federal Police (PF), Andrei Rodrigues, in a new episode of the institutional crisis shaking the country less than a month before the presidential election of 4 October. France24.com reports that this decision by judge André Mendonça places the Lula government in a delicate position, as the campaign is in full swing.
The left-wing president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, 80 years old, will have as his main rival Flavio Bolsonaro, 45 years old, eldest son of former far-right head of state Jair Bolsonaro (2019-2022). The two candidates appear neck-and-neck in polls ahead of a possible second round on 25 October.
Origins of the crisis: compromising messages
The crisis erupted last week following the publication of a police report revealing messages exchanged between banker Daniel Vorcaro and Alexandre de Moraes, another Supreme Court judge. Vorcaro, head of Banco Master — an establishment now liquidated — is suspected of one of the largest financial frauds in Brazilian history. In these exchanges dating from November 2025, he was seeking the magistrate's help to hinder the investigation that would lead to his arrest.
This report was made public by judge Mendonça, who is in charge of the Banco Master case. Alexandre de Moraes is a central figure on the Brazilian judicial scene: he notably presided over the historic trial against Jair Bolsonaro, who was sentenced to 27 years in prison for attempted coup d'état against Lula.
Federal Police accused of illegal surveillance
In the development that occurred on Tuesday, judge Mendonça accuses the Federal Police of having illegally monitored his own judicial activities and of having produced anonymous and technically flawed reports in the process. In his decision, to which the AFP had access, he describes this surveillance as "highly serious" and compares it to George Orwell's dystopian novel "1984".
He ordered the provisional suspension of Andrei Rodrigues as well as the head of the Federal Police's intelligence service. According to a government source cited by the AFP, the body responsible for defending the State's legal interests is expected to appeal this decision by Wednesday.
Last week, judge de Moraes had used these same contested reports to accuse his colleague Mendonça of "abuse of authority", in response to revelations about his links with banker Vorcaro.
Polarised political reactions
Both camps reacted strongly to the suspension decision. Flavio Bolsonaro, on the social network X, welcomed the fact that "the honourable and glorious Federal Police regains its autonomy to pursue criminals, not Lula's political opponents".
On the presidential camp's side, Marco Aurélio de Carvalho, coordinator of Lula's campaign in the state of São Paulo, declared to the AFP that in the face of "an unprecedented institutional crisis", "we cannot allow public offices to be monopolised by political and electoral interests".
Interim director general William Murad for his part expressed his "complete confidence" in Andrei Rodrigues. In a letter obtained by the AFP, eleven heads of Federal Police divisions also made their positions available, criticising the "narratives clearly influenced by political and electoral interests" which, according to them, led to their director's removal.
Judge Moraes is traditionally championed by the Brazilian left, whilst the right strongly supports judge Mendonça, appointed to the Supreme Court by father Bolsonaro.
Source: Google News MA — Crime (fr)