Justice André Mendonça denied that his handling of the Master case follows the methods used by former judge Sérgio Moro during the Lava Jato operation.
The exchange highlights ongoing tensions within Brazil's highest court regarding judicial conduct and the legacy of the country's most expansive anti-corruption probe. The dispute centers on whether current proceedings are repeating the perceived excesses of the past.
The clash occurred during a hearing of the Second Panel of the Supreme Federal Court (STF) in Brasília on June 16, 2026 [1]. Justice Gilmar Mendes compared the Master case to the Lava Jato operation, which led to a direct rebuttal from Mendonça.
Mendonça said his approach to the case does not mirror the "Lava Jato" method. The comparison by Mendes suggested a similarity in how the cases were being managed or prosecuted, a notion Mendonça rejected during the proceedings [1], [2].
The Lava Jato operation, led by Moro, became a symbol of Brazil's fight against systemic corruption but later faced criticism for procedural irregularities. This historical context framed the argument between the two justices in the STF [2], [3].
While the hearing focused on the specifics of the Master case, the debate shifted toward the philosophy of judicial oversight. Mendes's comparison served as a critique of the current legal trajectory, while Mendonça's response aimed to distance his judicial reasoning from Moro's controversial tenure [2].
“Justice André Mendonça denied that his handling of the Master case follows the methods used by former judge Sérgio Moro.”
The friction between Justice Mendonça and Justice Mendes reflects a deeper ideological divide within the STF over the boundaries of judicial power. By invoking Lava Jato, Mendes is referencing a period of judicial activism that the Brazilian legal system has since spent years reviewing and, in some cases, overturning. Mendonça's rejection of the comparison is an attempt to legitimize the Master case proceedings as distinct from the procedural flaws that eventually compromised the Lava Jato convictions.
