Political Tensions Mount as Banco Master CPMI Advances Amid Investigation Delays
Brazil's opposition advances the Banco Master CPMI amid political delays and Supreme Court maneuvering, sparking calls for in-depth investigations and accountability.
- • Opposition gathered 280 signatures to create a CPMI investigating Banco Master irregularities.
- • Chamber of Deputies' CPI request led by Rodrigo Rollemberg has 211 signatures with strong PT support.
- • Chamber President Hugo Motta plans to delay CPI by following procedural queue, postponing investigation.
- • Supreme Court Justice Dias Toffoli considers splitting the investigation to reduce STF pressure.
- • Lawyers debate CPI effectiveness, stressing need for thorough investigations and accountability.
Key details
The opposition in Brazil has successfully gathered 280 signatures to initiate a Mixed Parliamentary Commission of Inquiry (CPMI) into Banco Master, aiming to investigate alleged irregularities connected to the bank. The initiative, led by Congressman Carlos Jordy (PL-RJ), seeks to summon key figures such as Daniel Vorcaro and relatives of Supreme Court ministers, including Dias Toffoli and Alexandre de Moraes. Concurrently, in the Chamber of Deputies, Congressman Rodrigo Rollemberg (PSB-DF) commands a CPI request supported by 211 signatures, largely backed by the Workers' Party (PT), even surpassing support from the Centrão coalition. This underscores the intense political pressure surrounding the inquiry.
However, Hugo Motta (Republicanos-PB), the Chamber president, indicated that the CPI request will adhere to the procedural queue, effectively postponing the investigation's start. Critics argue that this delay benefits the government base by softening the political impact of the scandal. In parallel, Supreme Court minister Dias Toffoli contemplates splitting the Banco Master investigation, diverting cases without privileged jurisdiction to federal first-instance courts while retaining those involving political authorities under his jurisdiction—a move supported by Chief Justice Gilmar Mendes aimed at easing public scrutiny on the Supreme Court, yet raising concerns about selective investigation handling.
The debate around the CPMI also heightened on the political talk show "Boa Noite," where lawyer and historian Habib Temer Badião urged thorough investigations and accountability, emphasizing, "We hope this CPMI goes all the way to the truth, because criminals belong in jail. If you’ve stolen from retirees' funds intended for medicine and food, that’s unacceptable." Conversely, lawyer Erlon Fernandes criticized CPIs as often politicized performances lacking effectiveness and called for genuine police action.
In addition to the CPMI drama, the PT requested the Superior Electoral Court (TSE) to ban the boosting of government criticism during the 2026 pre-campaign, citing electoral balance concerns. Meanwhile, governmental administrative expenses reached R$ 72.7 billion in 2025—the highest in nine years—intensifying fiscal pressures amid the election year. The unfolding Banco Master CPMI saga thus reflects both political contention and broader governance challenges in Brazil as elections approach.
This article was translated and synthesized from Brazilian sources, providing English-speaking readers with local perspectives.
