STF is involved in ‘huge scandal’, says The Economist
“It all started with a banker who liked supermodels and private jets”, described The Economist magazine when reporting how the Federal Supreme Court found itself involved in a “huge scandal” in Brazil. The British magazine highlighted that the owner of the Master bank, Daniel Vorcaro, “was not the only one to tremble at the base” after his arrest and the liquidation of the institution for fraud, given his connections with politicians from across the political spectrum and with the country’s top magistrates.
The Economist highlighted that the Master case “rekindled debates in Brazil about the conduct of members of the country’s highest judicial instance”, the Federal Supreme Court (STF). This is because, in the magazine’s analysis, some of the “most powerful judges in the world maintain an excessively close relationship with the business and political elite”.
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When citing questions about STF ministers, the magazine highlights that such repercussions could boost the right (which has “special animosity” towards the Court) in the Senate elections and the speech, by some of these candidates, in favor of opening impeachment proceedings against ministers.
Dias Toffoli is mentioned 12 times, with references to the investment of a person linked to Vorcaro in the resort in which the minister’s family was a partner, in Paraná, and to the Federal Police report that pointed out messages between the magistrate and parts of the process for which he was the rapporteur. Regarding Alexandre de Moraes, mentioned 11 times, the Economist highlighted the Master’s bond with his wife, Viviane Barci.
“Toffoli’s colleague at the Supreme Court, Alexandre de Moraes, is also in trouble. When evidence emerged that Moraes’ wife, who is a lawyer, had received an unusually vague and lucrative contract to represent Banco Master, Moraes opened an investigation against IRS officials for leaking confidential information,” he said.
The Economist also highlighted the initiative of the president of the STF, minister Edson Fachin, to articulate a code of conduct for the Court.
“Messrs. Toffoli and Moraes reacted immediately. Both claim to have never judged a case with a conflict of interest and that the adoption of a code of ethics is unnecessary,” stated the magazine.
In the text, the magazine recalls that the STF was responsible for judging the coup acts, but considered that the action is not immune to criticism.
“Even though it defends democracy, the court has shown itself to be more intransigent, sometimes interpreting criticism of its members as an attack on democracy itself,” says the vehicle.
