Brazil's National Justice Council (CNJ) received a new sexual harassment complaint against Superior Court of Justice (STJ) Minister Marco Buzzi on Monday (9). The judge, on medical leave since last week, messaged colleagues stating he will prove his innocence and rejecting the claims. His defense criticizes information leaks and claims lack of access to case files.
Marco Buzzi, a minister of Brazil's Superior Court of Justice (STJ), faces a second sexual harassment complaint, received by the National Justice Council (CNJ) on February 9, 2026. A disciplinary claim was opened following the hearing of a possible victim in analogous facts to those already under investigation, with the process proceeding in secrecy to protect those involved.
The first accusation emerged the previous week, involving an 18-year-old woman who reported being grabbed and touched by Buzzi during a sea bath in Balneário Camboriú, Santa Catarina. The victim's family, vacationing at the minister's beach house, left the same day. The young woman viewed Buzzi as a grandfather, stemming from family friendships built on her mother's professional ties to higher courts.
In response, Buzzi sent a message in the STJ ministers' WhatsApp group, stating: "Very impacted by the news reported and also because I am hospitalized under cardiac and emotional care, I have remained silent until now." He highlighted his age nearing 70, a 45-year marriage, and family support, rejecting any improper conduct. "With a clear conscience but a very agitated soul, before the premature disclosure of information, I thank those who granted me the benefit of the doubt," he wrote.
Buzzi's defense, in a statement, asserted that the minister "committed no improper act" and complained of leaks aimed at pressuring the legal process. The lawyers have not accessed the files and criticized the hearing without their presence, violating CNJ rules.
A cousin and neighbor of Buzzi filed notarized statements questioning the initial accusation, citing the minister's physical limitations. Investigations include an STJ inquiry led by Ministers Raul Araújo, Francisco Falcão, and Antônio Carlos Ferreira, and a criminal case in the Supreme Federal Court (STF) under rapporteur Kassio Nunes Marques. Eight of the STJ's 29 voting ministers opposed opening the inquiry; the court has 33 members total.
Behind the scenes, Buzzi's position is seen as unfavorable, with a likelihood of removal after the probe concludes. Possible outcomes include compulsory retirement with retained benefits or imprisonment if criminally convicted.
