Key facts
- Supreme Court Justice André Mendonca ordered the suspension of Federal Police Director-General Andrei Rodrigues and intelligence director Leandro Almada.
- The suspension is based on allegations of illegal intelligence reports targeting Justice Mendonca.
- President Lula's government has appealed the decision, arguing Mendonca lacks the authority to remove the police chief.
- The federal police directors offered their resignations in protest of Mendonca's accusations.
- The move escalates a conflict between Justices Mendonca and Alexandre de Moraes.
Brazilian Supreme Court Justice André Mendonca ordered the removal of the country's federal police chief, Andrei Rodrigues, and its intelligence director, Leandro Almada, on Tuesday. Mendonca cited allegations that the two men headed an organization that produced six illegal intelligence reports on his activities through the end of August.
President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva's government immediately appealed the decision, with the solicitor-general's office stating that Mendonca lacks jurisdiction and that the removal "compromises the functioning of police activities." The office described the ruling as a "grave injury to public and administrative order."
Later, 11 federal police directors offered their resignations to William Marcel Murad, the federal police's executive director and Rodrigues' acting replacement. They stated that Mendonca's accusations "have no ground" and "challenge the history, the credibility and the institutional commitment" of the suspended leaders, adding that narratives influenced by electoral interests cannot erase their professional trajectory.
Mendonca's decision occurs amid a significant clash with fellow Justice Alexandre de Moraes, who previously sentenced former President Jair Bolsonaro to prison. Last week, Mendonca unsealed federal police documents showing that Banco Master owner Daniel Vorcaro had frequently sought de Moraes' legal advice before his arrest. De Moraes had denied wrongdoing, though his wife provided legal services to Banco Master. De Moraes, in turn, ruled that Mendonca should be investigated for interviewing Vorcaro without proper procedure.
Supporters of opposition presidential candidate Sen. Flávio Bolsonaro, son of the former president, celebrated Mendonca's move on social media, calling for the federal police to regain autonomy to pursue criminals rather than political adversaries. Tens of thousands of Bolsonaro supporters also rallied, calling for de Moraes' removal.