STF ministers differ in the Lide Forum; Mendonça says that judge should not be feared and Moraes criticizes “vassal judiciary”
The Ministers of the Supreme Federal Court (STF) André Mendonça and Alexandre de Moraes starred in a veiled ideological clash during the 24th Lide Business Forum, in Rio de Janeiro, on Friday (22.ago.2025).
In lectures held on the same day, the magistrates defended antagonistic positions on judicial independence and freedom of expression.
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In the morning, André Mendonça was the first to take the stage and criticized what he called “judicial activism”. The minister indicated by (PL) was categorical: “Judicial activism implies the implicit recognition that the judiciary has prevalence on other powers.”
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Moraes went further and classified the defense of judicial self -restart as a typical strategy of authoritarian regimes. “Only in autocracy can autocrat want to exercise their freedom without limits and not be held responsible”he said.
The minister argued that in autocracies, under the pretext that there should be understanding of certain sectors such as press and judiciary, one ended up with freedom of the press and thousands of judges were removed on the grounds that they needed to self-confirm. According to Moraes, these practices are typical of autocrats and dictators.
co-chairman do Lide, even commented on the contrast with Moraes still on stage: “It is important to hear Minister Alexandre de Moraes how important it was to hear Minister André Mendonça. The positions are not the same..
The battle is also rhetoric
The narrative duel takes place at a delicate moment for Moraes, which is the target of American magnitsky law sanctions and faces criticism for its performance in the fake news survey.
The minister is a rapporteur of the criminal action against Jair Bolsonaro for attempted coup, whose trial is scheduled for September 2.
Not to mention the cases directly, Moraes made indirect references to the former president: “You can’t pay attention against democracy and, if it works, it’s a dictatorship. If it doesn’t work, sorry, I’ll be back home to reorganize me.”
The minister also attacked the big techs, stating that they do “Actions against the country’s media” and said Nazis disseminated their ideas in Germany of the 1930s without the need for “Ideologically directed algorithms of the big techs”.
