Ministers Fux and Mendonça point to existence of "parallel" Federal Police at Supreme Court
At the Supreme Court hearing on Tuesday, ministers denounced irregular monitoring of Court members by the Federal Police. The Director-General of the Federal Police was suspended preventively.
Fux and Mendonça denounce "parallel" Federal Police aimed at monitoring Supreme Court ministers
During a session of the STF (Supreme Federal Court) on Tuesday (15), ministers Luiz Fux and André Mendonça denounced the existence of a "parallel" Federal Police dedicated to monitoring members of the Court, as reported by cnnbrasil.com.br.
Fux declared that "the Federal Police cannot work against the Judiciary" and classified the circulation of a forged document as "a significant example of these deviations practised by the Federal Police". The minister also stated that he never imagined "the Federal Police confronting a minister of the Supreme Federal Court".
Mendonça, the rapporteur of the case, agreed with the assessment: "a parallel Federal Police was instituted". Fux endorsed the statement by affirming that "we are seeing today a parallel Federal Police". Mendonça further warned his colleagues: "do not think that your excellency is safe either".
Suspension of the Federal Police Director-General
Mendonça determined the preventive suspension of the Director-General of the Federal Police, Andrei Rodrigues, and the intelligence director, Leandro Almada da Costa, after identifying irregular monitoring of Supreme Court ministers.
In a virtual session, Fux and minister Kassio Nunes Marques anticipated their votes in line with the rapporteur's decision. Minister Gilmar Mendes requested further time to examine the case — a measure that Fux characterised as an attempt to "halt the hearing".
What is being judged
The session is analysing a Federal Police report that brings together messages and other records used by the corporation to point to a close relationship between minister Alexandre de Moraes and former banker Daniel Vorcaro.
Before assessing whether the content justifies opening an investigation against Moraes, the plenary must express itself on a request from the PGR (Office of the Attorney-General of the Republic) to annul the police report. The Office argues that Mendonça ordered the production of the document without a prior request from the Public Ministry or the Federal Police itself and without submitting it previously to the plenary.
Even if the annulment is accepted, there are ministers who assess that the Supreme Court may close the case without proceeding on the merits of the messages. Others, however, understand that the elements already known allow discussion of opening a new investigation.
Internal tension and dispute over documents
The session occurs amid tension in the Court, marked by exchanges of official letters between ministers, dispute over access to evidence and questions about the conduct of investigations under Mendonça's responsibility.
On the eve of the session, ministers debated internally which documents should be available for prior analysis. On Monday (14), the Federal Police reported having delivered copies of data extracted from Daniel Vorcaro's seized mobile phone to the chambers of ministers Alexandre de Moraes, Cristiano Zanin and Gilmar Mendes.
Also on Monday, Mendonça lifted the confidentiality of proceedings that bring together details about Vorcaro's payment network and Banco Master.
Source: Google News BR — Crime