247 - The attacks made by the governor of São Paulo, Tarcísio de Freitas (Republicans), on Minister Alexandre de Moraes during the September 7th demonstration on Avenida Paulista were interpreted as a negative milestone in the relationship between him and the Supreme Federal Court (STF), reports Bela Megale, from the newspaper O Globo.

At least three Supreme Court justices considered that Tarcísio crossed"institutional boundaries" by labeling Moraes a "dictator" and a "tyrant" in his speech. One of the justices stated:"He went for all or nothing. Such a virulent attack directed at Justice Alexandre de Moraes affects the entire court. Tarcísio crossed institutional boundaries, and this has consequences. Certainly, his dialogue with a good portion of the justices is hindered."

Political movements and electoral calculations

Within the Supreme Federal Court, the interpretation is that the governor radicalized his speech as part of a political strategy. According to another member of the Court, Tarcísio's stance is aimed at pleasing Jair Bolsonaro (PL) and consolidating his position as the right-wing candidate in the 2026 presidential race."Obviously, Tarcísio's speech isn't a sign of someone who wants to build a dialogue with the Judiciary. What I see is him radicalizing in search of Bolsonaro's blessing to run for president," he stated.

The reaction of the Supreme Federal Court

Following Tarcísio's statements, Supreme Court Justice Gilmar Mendes publicly reacted on social media. He rejected the accusation of a"dictatorship of the robe" and defended the Court's actions: "There is no dictatorship of the robe in Brazil, nor are there justices acting like tyrants. The Supreme Court has fulfilled its role as guardian of the Constitution and the rule of law, preventing setbacks and preserving fundamental guarantees."

Mendes also emphasized that the threats to democracy did not come from the judiciary, but from recent episodes in national politics. He cited the negligence in handling the pandemic, the mobilization outside military barracks calling for military intervention, and the attempted coup on January 8, 2023."If we want to talk about the dangers of authoritarianism, we only need to recall our country's recent past: thousands dead in a pandemic, vaccines deliberately neglected by authorities, threats to the electoral system and the separation of powers, camps in front of military barracks calling for military intervention, attempted coups involving violence and destruction of public property, as well as assassination plots against public officials," the minister reinforced.