The minister of the Federal Supreme Court (STF), André Mendonça, was chosen to be the new rapporteur of the Master Case investigation. The information was confirmed on Thursday night (12). The case happened after Dias Toffoli announced the departure of the case’s rapporteur.
Toffoli’s decision was taken after a meeting called by Supreme President Edson Fachin to present the Federal Police report on data from Daniel Vorcaro’s cell phone. The document mentions the name of minister Dias Toffoli.
In a note, the ministers stated that there is no place for suspicion in the case as requested by the federal police. They also recognized the full validity of the acts carried out by Toffoli within the action.
The move at the STF is a direct response to the 200-page Federal Police report, which detailed messages found on the cell phones of Daniel Vorcaro, owner of Banco Master, and his brother-in-law. The document mentioned payments that would go to a company in which Toffoli is a partner.
Toffoli denied any receipt of illicit amounts and stated that the company mentioned is a duly declared family business. This Thursday’s collegial decision seeks to balance the technical defense of the minister’s conduct with the need to eliminate questions about the impartiality of the Judiciary in light of the seriousness of the facts narrated by the PF.
Earlier, the minister even told the president of the supreme court that he saw no impediment or suspicion that could cause him to leave the case and maintained to minister Edson Fachin that there was no conflict of interest.
Who is André Mendonça
André Luiz de Almeida Mendonça, born in Santos (SP), is a central figure in the current composition of the Brazilian Judiciary. Sworn into the Federal Supreme Court (STF) on December 16, 2021, he occupies the seat vacated by minister Marco Aurélio Mello after being nominated by then-president Jair Bolsonaro.
His trajectory is marked by a robust academic background and a solid career in public service, in addition to a religious identity that often guides the public debate about his activities.
Before arriving at the Supreme Court, Mendonça joined the Attorney General’s Office (AGU) in 2000, through a public examination. At the institution, he held strategic positions such as General Inspector and Director of Heritage and Probity.
Work in the Federal Government
During Jair Bolsonaro’s administration, Mendonça held high-ranking roles in the Executive Branch, which made him one of the former president’s most trusted names:
Attorney General of the Union (2019-2020 / 2021): Led leniency agreements that recovered billions for public coffers.
Minister of Justice and Public Security (2020-2021): Took over the portfolio after the departure of Sergio Moro. This period was marked by the use of the National Security Law to investigate government critics, which generated debates about freedom of expression and the actions of the Federal Police.
Recent activity in the Judiciary
Currently, in addition to his functions at the STF, André Mendonça joined the Superior Electoral Court (TSE) in June 2024, succeeding Minister Alexandre de Moraes. At the Supreme Court, he has been a rapporteur on sensitive topics, such as the time frame for indigenous lands and issues linked to religious freedom and criminal law.
