The minister of the Federal Supreme Court, is the rapporteur of at least 4 investigations by the Federal Police against the current governor of Maranhão, (PSB), and family members. The investigations cite the purchase of vacancies in the State Court of Auditors and possible interference in the trial in in a homicide case.
Before assuming the state government, in 2022, Carlos Brandão was vice-governor on the ticket headed by Dino, from 2015 to 2022. Brandão broke politically with the group in 2024, after Dino, already a minister of the Supreme Court, suspended in a preliminary (provisional) decision the appointment made by the current governor for one of the vacancies for the TCE.
Brandão’s allies claim that the minister has acted to favor the pre-candidacy of (PT), current vice-governor and opponent of Brandão, for the race for the Palácio dos Leões in 2026. The governor supports the candidacy of his nephew, (MDB), current secretary of Municipal Affairs.
Questioned by Poder360Flávio Dino’s office stated that the minister does not comment on ongoing investigations and does not comment “matters of a political nature”as determined by the Organic Law of the Judiciary.
On March 3, Dino asked the minister’s office access to evidence collected by the No Discount operation against the senator (PDT-MA). An ally of Brandão, the congressman began to be investigated for being suspected of “trying to co-opt” a minister of the STJ for “guarantee people’s impunity”according to process data, in the case of the murder of João Bosco Pereira, in August 2022, at the Tech Office, a commercial building in São Luís (MA).
In the investigations into the homicide, the possible involvement of Daniel Brandão, president of TCE-MA and nephew of Carlos Brandão, was identified. Gilson Cesar Soares Curtinum Junior, accused of being the killer, was the only one charged by the Public Ministry of Maranhão. On September 11, 2024, the Jury convicted only Gilson of the murder.
Now, investigations return to the cases to find out whether Daniel Brandão’s presence near the crime scene had any direct relationship with the homicide. The governor’s nephew was appointed to the Court of Auditors in 2023 and has privileged jurisdiction in the STJ.
In October 2025, his defense presented a habeas corpus to the Supreme Court, indicating Weverton’s interference in the trial of the progression of Gilson’s sentence, which until then was under analysis at the Superior Court of Justice. The case went to the STF because of the senator’s privileged jurisdiction and was assigned to Flávio Dino’s office by lottery.
The minister ordered that an investigation be opened by the Federal Police to determine whether there is evidence that the congressman acted to disrupt the process at the STJ. Dino also indicated a connection between the investigations involving Weverton and another investigation, also under his report, which investigates the sale of vacancy nominations to the TCE through political compensation. One of those investigated is Carlos Brandão.
Brandão’s defense denies any irregularity in the nomination process to the Electoral Court and maintains that the Supreme Court does not have the competence to analyze the investigations, since the prerogative of privileged forum for governors belongs to the STJ. The governor’s group also claims that Dino suspended two appointments to the TCE in unconstitutionality actions under his report.
These are actions that question the constitutionality of the rite of appointment of counselors in the Legislative Assembly of Maranhão for a “secret procedure”. In February 2024, Dino was selected as rapporteur for requests from the PGR (Attorney General’s Office) and the Solidariedade party against the nomination model. In an injunction, the minister suspended the nomination process.
The injunction was submitted to the plenary referendum in March 2024, but the trial was interrupted with the minister’s request for a view. . In the records of these two actions, lawyer Clara Alcântara Botelho Machado presented a request to be friend of the court (which means friend of the court) in the case, alleging that there were signs of irregularities in the nomination system – possible sale of nominations to the TCE and nepotism.
Dino denied the request for friend of the courtsince an individual cannot follow the processes in this condition, but decided to open an investigation into the case. The investigations are in charge of the Federal Police and their main targets are Governor Carlos Brandão and his nephew Daniel.
ELECTIONS
Allies of Carlos Brandão claim that the investigations have no direct connection and that Minister Flávio Dino has electoral interests in the State. According to the group, Dino wants to strengthen Felipe Camarão’s (PT) candidacy for state government. Camarão is being investigated by the State Public Prosecutor’s Office for money laundering and remains in the position of vice-governor while the Court of Justice of Maranhão judges an injunction request for his removal from public service.
When contacted, Minister Flávio Dino’s office declared that it would not comment on allegations of a political nature. “Minister Flávio Dino’s office informs that, in accordance with the Organic Law of the National Judiciary, the magistrate is prohibited from speaking out or expressing an opinion on ongoing processes and commenting on matters of a political nature”he declared.
O Poder360 tried to contact Senator Weverton Rocha, but was unsuccessful in finding a valid phone number or email to inform him of the content of this report. This digital newspaper will continue trying to contact the congressman and this text will be updated if a statement is sent.
This digital newspaper also sought out Carlos Brandão’s communications office and asked for a statement from the governor about the PF investigations. THE Poder360 will update this story if a response is sent.
