Brazil's Supreme Court Allows Parliamentary Budget Amendments Reallocation Amid Ongoing Federal Police Corruption Investigations
The Supreme Federal Court permits budget amendment reallocations by substitutes of former deputies, coinciding with intensified Federal Police investigations into corruption in parliamentary amendments ahead of elections.
- • STF Minister Flávio Dino ruled substitutes may reallocate budget amendments for Eduardo Bolsonaro and Alexandre Ramagem.
- • Both Bolsonaro and Ramagem were abroad when amendments were proposed, making them ineligible for 2026 budget changes.
- • Polícia Federal plans to escalate operations targeting misappropriation of parliamentary amendments before elections.
- • At least 80 investigations supervised by the STF focus on amendment irregularities involving federal deputies and senators.
Key details
On February 3, 2026, Supreme Federal Court (STF) Minister Flávio Dino ruled that substitutes for former federal deputies Eduardo Bolsonaro and Alexandre Ramagem are permitted to reallocate parliamentary budget amendments they inherited during their mandates. Deputies Dr. Flávio (PL-RJ) and José Olímpio (PL-SP), successors to Bolsonaro and Ramagem respectively, can now choose beneficiaries and reassign funds linked to the 2026 budget, after Dino initially blocked these resources in December due to the former deputies being abroad and thus ineligible to propose new amendments.
Ramagem had lost his mandate in September following a conviction related to a coup plot, and Dino emphasized that delays by the Chamber of Deputies in declaring mandate losses unfairly allowed the former deputies to submit amendments that should have been the responsibility of their substitutes. While this decision also applies to former deputy Carla Zambelli, Dino denied her substitute the right to propose amendments, citing missed legal deadlines. Zambelli is currently imprisoned in Italy, awaiting extradition after a conviction for illegally accessing the National Justice Council’s electronic system.
Meanwhile, the Polícia Federal (PF) plans to intensify operations targeting suspected misappropriations and irregularities in parliamentary budget amendments ahead of the federal elections later this year. The PF and Procuradoria-Geral da República (PGR) are overseeing at least 80 investigations under the STF's supervision, many led by Minister Flávio Dino. These probe controversial practices including the unconstitutional 'emendas de relator' and 'emendas Pix,' which involve at least 92 politicians under scrutiny.
Recent federal police operations, such as 'Transparência' and the multi-phased 'Overclean,' have involved searches and seizures at the homes of politicians like Mariângela Fialek and Eduardo Velloso, addressing allegations of fund diversion and corruption. Deputies aligned with former President Jair Bolsonaro have been implicated but deny wrongdoing, alleging political persecution.
The ongoing judicial rulings and law enforcement efforts reflect intense scrutiny over parliamentary budget amendments amid Brazil's political landscape, with the STF facilitating transparency while the PF aims to combat corruption without disrupting legislative operations. The continuation of these investigations and potential further judicial decisions are expected to influence political dynamics ahead of the 2026 elections.
This article was translated and synthesized from Brazilian sources, providing English-speaking readers with local perspectives.
