The president of the First Panel of the Federal Supreme Court (STF), Flávio Dino, scheduled the sessions that will judge the first criminal action on alleged deviations of parliamentary amendments from the secret budget for March 10 and 11, 2026, a case revealed by Estadão. The trial involves deputies Josimar Maranhãozinho (PL-MA), Pastor Gil (PL-MA) and substitute Bosco Costa (PL-SE), accused of charging bribes to release health funds.
The dates were set after the rapporteur, minister Cristiano Zanin, closed the investigation phase, received the final arguments from the defenses and asked for the process to be scheduled. Dino reserved three sessions for the trial: March 10th in the morning and afternoon, in addition to an extraordinary session on the morning of March 11th. This is the first case, among more than 80 investigations involving parliamentarians, to advance to the decisive stage in the Supreme Court.
In addition to Dino, the rapporteur, Cristiano Zanin, and ministers Alexandre de Moraes and Cármen Lúcia participate in the trial. The fifth seat of the Panel must be occupied by the Union’s attorney general, Jorge Messias, appointed by President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva to succeed Luís Roberto Barroso.
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In the criminal action, the Attorney General’s Office (PGR) accuses the three parliamentarians of charging bribes to release just over R$6 million in health amendments destined for São José de Ribamar (MA). The complaint points out that messages obtained by the Federal Police reveal a “rachadinha” scheme structured through shell companies during the secret budget period, a mechanism declared unconstitutional by the STF in 2022 due to its low level of transparency.
The defenses deny the accusations, state that there is no evidence of deputies’ participation in the allocation of resources and maintain that the transfers were authorized by the Ministry of Health, without parliamentary interference. They also point out alleged flaws in the investigation, such as late access to dialogues examined by the PF.
Dino’s decision comes amid the worsening crisis between the STF and Congress. The environment was already frayed after the appointment of Messias to the Supreme Court, made without prior coordination with the Senate and which opened a flank of erosion for the Planalto.
Tension increased last Wednesday, 3rd, when minister Gilmar Mendes restricted the possibility of presenting impeachment requests against members of the Court, which provoked an immediate reaction in the Legislature. Hours later, the Chamber’s Constitution and Justice Committee approved a project that limits individual decisions by ministers.
