STF President Luiz Edson Fachin advocated for judges' impartial distancing and resumed discussions on an ethics code in response to the Banco Master crisis. In an interview, retired Justice Luís Roberto Barroso acknowledged a 'difficult moment' for the court but urged caution in judgments. The scandal impacts ministers like Alexandre de Moraes and Dias Toffoli, with revealed messages and business ties.
The crisis at Brazil's Supreme Federal Court (STF) took new turns with statements from President Luiz Edson Fachin and retired Justice Luís Roberto Barroso on the Banco Master scandal. Fachin, the court's president, emphasized in a meeting with tribunal leaders the need for 'healthy distancing from parties and interests at play,' stating that 'impartiality is not coldness, but a condition for equity.' He warned that justice cannot be 'imprisoned by parochial interests, economic conveniences, or political calculations,' and that decisions must withstand public scrutiny.
Behind the scenes, Fachin has supported rapporteur André Mendonça, with whom he spoke on the night of March 9 about structuring the case. He resumed talks with Justice Cármen Lúcia on the ethics code, announced in February but postponed until after the 2026 elections. Fachin also granted more aides to Mendonça's office and conversed with colleagues like Gilmar Mendes and Alexandre de Moraes to manage tensions.
Barroso, in a March 11 GloboNews interview, said he had 'never heard of' Daniel Vorcaro, the liquidated bank's owner. He acknowledged a 'real critical perception' of the STF, citing newspaper readings and friend conversations, but advocated avoiding 'hasty judgments.' The scandal involves messages exchanged between Moraes and Vorcaro on the day of the latter's first arrest, denied by the justice, and Dias Toffoli's removal from rapporteurship after revealing a stake in a company sold to Vorcaro-linked funds. Barroso praised Fachin and Mendonça, viewed the ethics code sympathetically as a 'societal demand,' and criticized extra pay, admitting irregularities to address.
Fachin stressed that judicial privileges rely on public trust and that the Judiciary cannot emerge 'smaller' from the remuneration debate.
