Brazilian Supreme Court roiled by dispute between justices

Brazil’s Supreme Court has found itself at the centre of a corruption scandal roiling the country, with the body considering investigations into two justices who have accused each other of wrongdoing.

The dispute centres on Justice Alexandre de Moraes , who oversaw the case that convicted former President Jair Bolsonaro, and Justice Andre Mendonca, a Bolsonaro appointee.

Mendonca released a report this week showing alleged links between de Moraes and disgraced banker Daniel Vorcaro, accused of a wide-reaching fraud scheme.

De Moraes subsequently accused Mendonca of abusing his authority by unsealing the documents.

Chief Justice Edson Fachin said on Friday that he would give Brazil’s attorney general five days to weigh the allegations against Mendonca.

The court is also set to decide next week whether to investigate de Moraes.

“This may be the most dramatic moment in the history of Brazil’s Supreme Federal Court,” said Felipe Recondo, a journalist and researcher who is a longtime observer of the court.

The right has pounced on the allegations against de Moraes to cast doubt on the case against Bolsonaro, who is currently under house arrest after receiving a 27-year prison sentence for his involvement in a coup plot.