The decision by Minister Alexandre de Moraes, of the Supreme Federal Court (STF), that pointed to "strong indications" of administrative improbity, abuse of authority, and crime of responsibility in the actions of his colleague André Mendonça generated a strong reaction from the opposition. Moraes's vote called for the opening of a disciplinary action against Mendonça for his conduct in cases involving former federal deputy Daniel Silva, arrested in an operation against environmental crimes.
The opposition treated the initiative as retaliation by Moraes against Mendonça. The Senate opposition leader, Rogério Marinho (PL-RN), stated that Moraes transformed the investigation into an instrument of "personal power." According to the senator, the decision against Mendonça represents an inversion of values, since the one who should provide explanations should be Moraes himself, given the messages revealed by the Master case.
The Master case involved the disclosure of a Federal Police report with messages from banker Daniel Vorcaro, owner of Banco Master. The messages revealed in the scope of the investigations sparked discussions about judicial intervention, connecting Vorcaro to various political and judicial figures. Márcio Jerry (PCdoB-MA) stated that the messages prove the existence of an "illegal and criminal structure of power" in the country.
Criticisms also came from other sectors. The Senate majority leader, Davidson Toledo (Republicanos-TO), considered Moraes's decision a "misuse of power" and asked for it to be reviewed. Constitutional law expert Dennis Rosenfield assessed that the episode represents a critical moment for the Court, which faces questions about its independence and impartiality.
