The minister of the (Supreme Federal Court) cited this Thursday (9) the case of , which involves colleagues from the court, to defend his home state, Rio de Janeiro, from criticism that he considered “generalized”.
The clash occurred during the command of the Guanabara Palace.
Fux came out in defense of Rio after criticism of the institutional degradation of the state made by , and . For the Rio de Janeiro minister, the comments were “a manifestation of deep distrust towards Rio de Janeiro in a generalized way”.
“I even believe that many did so, because they joined the Federal Supreme Court at a later time, but this perplexity would not be so great if colleagues had participated in the Mensalão trial, the Lava Jato trial, this now INSS and Banco Master trial, because the scandals are not concentrated in the state of Rio de Janeiro”, stated Fux.
“There are good politicians in the state of Rio de Janeiro, who represent the state in the Federal Chamber. They are excellent politicians. So if these politicians have to go to hell, they will be accompanied by high authorities”, said Fux.
The Master case is the center of a crisis in the Supreme Court.
Moraes is under pressure due to the transfer between 2024 and 2025 to the office of his wife, Viviane Barci de Moraes, by Master bank. Companies owned by Minister Dias Toffoli’s family are fraudulent. The information triggered the STF, in February.
Gilmar on a Prime Aviation plane, a company in which Master, owner, was a partner.
Fux’s speech took place after Gilmar, Dino and Moraes debated the involvement of state politicians in criminal scandals.
Gilmar stated that he had received information from the director of the Federal Police, Andrei Rodrigues, according to which “32 or 34 parliamentarians in the Assembly receive allowances from gambling.” “We are experiencing these episodes all the time. God have mercy on Rio de Janeiro.”
Alerj (Legislative Assembly of Rio de Janeiro) has 70 deputies.
Dino, in turn, listed the sequence of former governors arrested or investigated for crimes, the last being the former governor (), convicted by the TSE (Superior Electoral Court).
“There is no other state in Brazil, unfortunately, that has Rio’s situation. Governor number 1, I won’t say his name, arrested in 2017. Governor number 2, arrested in 2018. Governor number 3, arrested several times since 2016. Governor number 4, arrested in 2017. Governor number 5, arrested in 2019. Here comes one who was impeached and another who was now convicted by the TSE by 5 to 2. This is the from Rio de Janeiro”, he said.
Dino mentions the cases, respectively, of Sérgio Cabral (arrested in 2016), Luiz Fernando Pezão, Anthony Garotinho, Rosinha Garotinho, Moreira Franco, Wilson Witzel and Cláudio Castro.
Pezão went to TRF-2. Moreira had his arrest annulled by Moraes and was subsequently acquitted by the Federal Court of the Federal District.
Anthony Garotinho was approved by Minister Cristiano Zanin, of the STF, a decision that, according to his defense, authorizes him to run again. Cabral was released by the STF, but still faces criminal charges. Witzel is also still a defendant in proceedings, having not yet been convicted. Rosinha also had her case annulled by the higher courts.
Moraes cited the case, in which two former deputies from Rio de Janeiro, Domingos and Chiquinho Brazão, were convicted, both also appointed as leaders of a militia in the west zone of Rio de Janeiro.
