STF Crisis Deepens as Flávio Dino Reinstates Federal Police Director Amid Political Turmoil

On September 9, 2026, a major judicial and political conflict erupted within Brazil's Supreme Federal Court (STF) involving the leadership of the Federal Police (PF). Minister Flávio Dino overturned a decision by Minister André Mendonça that had removed Andrei Rodrigues from his position as director-general of the PF. Dino reinstated Rodrigues and Leandro Almada, Director of Intelligence, criticizing Mendonça's unilateral action as an overreach that should have been settled by the full Court.

Mendonça's removal of Rodrigues and Almada stemmed from allegations related to intelligence reports produced amidst the Inquérito das Fake News and an investigation into parliamentary amendments connected to the film "Dark Horse," a biopic about former President Jair Bolsonaro. The reports implicated Mendonça himself, with claims of his interference in ongoing probes, prompting Dino to label Mendonça's action as biased and akin to a "judge of himself."

Dino also questioned the legitimacy of the Party Novo's involvement, which had requested the removals. He suggested their motive was politically charged, considering the party's presidential candidate Romeu Zema stood to benefit from Rodrigues' ousting. Further criticism targeted Mendonça's prior meetings with the banker Daniel Vorcaro, under investigation, raising concerns over judicial impartiality.

The Attorney General's Office (AGU) supported Dino's stance by filing to suspend Mendonça's decision, arguing it violated the president's constitutional authority to appoint and dismiss the PF director-general.

Amid these tensions, STF President Edson Fachin canceled the Court's plenary session planned for the day, underscoring the severity of the institutional crisis. Dino emphasized that the removals hindered urgent investigations, specifically the inquiry into parliamentary amendments allegedly misallocated for the production of "Dark Horse."

Following Dino's reinstatement order, eleven PF directors publicly backed Rodrigues, while the National Union of Federal Police Workers condemned the political interference affecting the PF. Dino's ruling is to remain in effect pending the full STF's deliberation, as the Court grapples with this unprecedented judicial-political crisis.