The fake news inquiry, opened seven years ago at the Supreme Federal Court under the rapporteurship of Justice Alexandre de Moraes, requested Federal Police reports that cited members of the Court. Moraes's decision reignited debates about a possible closure of the investigation, which has been the target of criticism for years. The most recent crisis at the highest Court was aggravated by this decision.
On Friday morning, the president of the STF, Edson Fachin, mentioned the end of the inquiry as one of the urgent goals of his administration, confirmed by the recent events. The dispatch signed by Moraes on Thursday evening recalled that the investigation was opened to investigate fraudulent news, calumnious denunciations, threats, and offenses that affect the honorability and security of the STF.
According to Moraes, the inquiry also investigates the leaking of classified information and documents, with the aim of attributing and/or suggesting the practice of illicit acts by members of the tribunal. The investigation completes seven years in March, remaining one of the most controversial cases at the Court.
