198 Prominent Brazilians Back STF Chief Fachin Amid Court Crisis

A group of 198 former ministers, economists, jurists, business leaders, and civil society figures sent a letter Sunday backing Supreme Court President Edson Fachin. The signatories endorse his measures to preserve the court's authority and ensure a rigorous, impartial probe of recent grave allegations.

Signatories span multiple administrations: Pedro Malan, José Carlos Dias, and Miguel Reale Jr. served under Fernando Henrique Cardoso; Paulo Vannuchi under Lula; José Eduardo Cardozo under Dilma Rousseff. Also signing are Armínio Fraga, Pérsio Arida, CUT president Sergio Nobre, and the founders of Natura.

“We are living the most serious crisis in the history of the Supreme Federal Court and certainly one of the most serious in our checkered republican history.”

The letter demands full transparency for ongoing investigations and the September 15 plenary session, which will rule on Minister Alexandre de Moraes' situation after alleged message exchanges with banker Daniel Vorcaro surfaced. Signatories call the episode the most severe crisis in the court's history.

Beyond investigation, the manifesto urges urgent institutional reforms to strengthen collegiality, guarantee judicial impartiality, prevent conflicts of interest, and impose strict conduct standards. The crisis erupted this month when Minister André Mendonça lifted secrecy on a Federal Police report revealing contacts between Vorcaro and Moraes.

The September 15 public session, grounded in Article 93, IX of the Constitution, will determine next steps in the Moraes matter. The letter warns the court must not allow its jurisdiction to be captured by hidden personal, political, or economic interests.