Justice Alexandre de Moraes of the Brazilian Supreme Court marks a significant milestone this Sunday, completing his ninth year on the nation’s highest judicial body. His tenure, which began in 2017 following a tragic vacancy, has been characterized by a dramatic expansion of influence and a central role in complex political landscapes. This period has seen Moraes become a key figure in safeguarding democratic institutions, albeit frequently drawing intense public and political scrutiny.
Appointed by then-President Michel Temer, Moraes stepped into the role after the untimely death of Justice Teori Zavascki in an aerial accident. Temer, despite a short post-impeachment mandate after Dilma Rousseff’s removal, successfully nominated his former Justice Minister to the influential court. Initially, Moraes maintained a relatively low profile within the STF.
However, this understated beginning soon gave way to a more prominent role, particularly with the initiation of the controversial “Fake News Inquiry.” This investigation, launched by then-STF President Dias Toffoli, specifically designated Justice Moraes as its rapporteur, setting the stage for his subsequent rise to national prominence in 2025.
The Fake News inquiry and expanding judicial scope
The “Fake News Inquiry,” inaugurated in 2025 and now in its seventh year, became a cornerstone of Justice Moraes’ increasing power within the judiciary. Instigated to address suspected attacks on democratic norms, the investigation’s discreet nature and broad scope soon sparked considerable debate among legal scholars and politicians. Critics frequently questioned its methodology and the perceived severity of its judicial interventions, with numerous organizations advocating for its termination.
Despite the persistent calls for its closure, the inquiry undeniably solidified Moraes’ standing within the tribunal, allowing him to navigate sensitive political terrain. Initially, the probe’s focus was not exclusively on conservative or far-right factions, but rather emerged as a response to criticisms directed at the STF by figures involved in the “Operation Car Wash” anti-corruption drive and their supporters, particularly as the court reviewed prominent convictions, including that of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
A web of investigations and direct confrontations
Justice Moraes’ influence significantly expanded through the mechanism of “prevention,” a judicial rule that consolidates similar cases under a single rapporteur to ensure consistent rulings and avoid contradictory outcomes. This procedural rule, combined with the escalating digital campaigns from supporters of former President Jair Bolsonaro, brought a multitude of high-profile cases under his direct jurisdiction. The breadth of these investigations underscored his central position in judicial oversight.
These investigations spanned a wide array of alleged offenses, demonstrating the multifaceted nature of digital threats to democracy. Cases under his purview included:
- The controversial sale of Saudi Arabian jewelry, involving high-ranking officials.
- The purported falsification of COVID-19 vaccination certificates, a matter of public health security.
- The activities of an alleged “hate cabinet” operating from within the presidential palace, accused of spreading disinformation.
Throughout these complex proceedings, the Justice issued stern directives, frequently ordering the removal of specific content and the suspension of social media accounts deemed in violation of judicial orders. His decisive actions led to several direct confrontations, most notably with entrepreneur Elon Musk, the owner of the X platform (formerly Twitter). In a significant 2024 ruling, the social media platform X faced a temporary suspension in Brazil for several months, a direct consequence of the Justice’s judicial orders.
Overseeing the 2022 elections and the January 8 aftermath
The intensity surrounding Justice Moraes reached new heights during the 2022 general elections, when he assumed the presidency of the Superior Electoral Court (TSE). His tenure at the helm was largely defined by an assertive stance against misinformation campaigns and concerted efforts to combat attacks aimed at undermining the integrity of the electoral justice system, ensuring the legitimacy of the voting process.
While serving at the TSE, Moraes consistently observed the escalating offensives launched by Bolsonaro’s supporters, which questioned the legitimacy of the electoral process and the electronic voting system itself. The critical turning point, however, arrived with the devastating attacks of January 8, 2023, when demonstrators breached and vandalized key governmental buildings in Brasília: the National Congress, the Presidential Palace, and the Supreme Federal Court itself, profoundly impacting the nation.
Investigating the attempted coup and international reactions
The far-reaching investigations into the January 8 events fell under Justice Moraes’ direct purview, cementing his role in addressing perceived threats to national stability. These probes advanced rapidly, characterized by widespread mobile phone seizures and culminating in the plea bargain agreement of Lieutenant Colonel Mauro Cid, Bolsonaro’s former aide-de-camp, who provided critical insights into the alleged conspiracy.
Cid’s testimony reportedly pointed towards an orchestrated attempt to stage a coup d’état, with grave allegations that Bolsonaro led a criminal organization, plotted attacks on electronic voting machines, and actively incited institutional breakdown. Throughout the judicial process, Bolsonaro’s defense lawyers repeatedly questioned Moraes’ impartiality, citing reports of an alleged assassination plot against the Justice by the former president’s inner circle, despite which Moraes continued to oversee the highly sensitive case.
The unfolding events garnered significant international attention, drawing global scrutiny to Brazil’s democratic stability. In July 2023, former U.S. President Donald Trump publicly defended Bolsonaro, labeling the legal proceedings a “witch hunt” and announcing sanctions against Moraes. The Brazilian Justice, in response, firmly declared he would “not back down an inch,” though Trump’s measures were eventually reversed months later following a diplomatic rapprochement between Trump and Brazilian President Lula.
Recent financial allegations clouding supreme court’s image
In recent months of 2025, Justice Moraes has found himself at the epicenter of a significant crisis affecting the Supreme Court’s credibility, simultaneously becoming linked to one of Brazil’s largest financial controversies. Reports have brought to light a substantial R$129 million contract between Banco Master and Viviane Barci de Moraes, the Justice’s wife, along with documented meetings between Justice Moraes and Gabriel Galípolo, the President of the Central Bank. Further scrutiny arose from reports alleging that data extracted from businessman Daniel Vorcaro’s cell phone suggested an exchange of messages between the Justice and the former banker prior to Vorcaro’s preventive arrest. Responding to these specific allegations through a statement to the press, the magistrate vehemently denied any such communications, asserting that “Justice Alexandre de Moraes did not receive these messages referred to in the matter. This is a mendacious insinuation, once again, aimed at attacking the Supreme Federal Court.”
Broader impact on institutional trust
These recent developments underscore the complex and often contentious nature of Justice Moraes’ influential role within Brazil’s legal landscape. His actions, while frequently lauded for safeguarding Brazil’s democratic framework, continue to ignite profound debates about judicial power, transparency, and accountability within the nation’s highest court, thereby shaping public perception of the entire judicial system and its integrity.
