Brazil’s Supreme Court cancels session as political crisis deepens

Brazil's Supreme Court has suspended its second consecutive session of deliberations on Thursday, signaling a profound institutional and political crisis. The move comes amid suspicions of corruption, political bias, and police interference plaguing several of its members. Chief-Justice Luiz Edson Fachin ordered the adjournment on Thursday, with the court set to reconvene on Tuesday.

The full court of 10 justices is now examining whether to investigate one of their own, Alexandre de Moraes, on allegations of connections to the founder of bankrupt Banco Master, linked to fraud allegations. Tensions between de Moraes and fellow justice André Mendonca, a Bolsonaro appointee, have escalated since the initial scandal.

De Moraes, a conservative, gained support from Lula supporters following his sentencing of former President Jair Bolsonaro to 27 years in prison last year for a coup attempt. Mendonca previously served as Bolsonaro’s solicitor-general before joining the Supreme Court. Recently, de Moraes demanded an inquiry into allegations of Mendonca's abuse of power, stemming from an interview with the banker without police or prosecutors present.

Presidential frontrunners Lula da Silva and Bolsonaro’s son, Sen. Flávio Bolsonaro, are both pressing for investigations into the Supreme Court justices, each side accusing the other. The Brazilian federal police leadership is also embroiled in the conflict, with Supreme Court rulings this week removing and subsequently reinstating its director-general, further complicating the already tense situation.