STF Votes 9-1 on December 13 to Keep Moraes as Rapporteur in Bolsonaro Coup Inquiry; Mendonça Dissenting

Dec 13, 2024, 08:14 PM

The Brazilian Supreme Court (STF) has upheld its decision to keep Justice Alexandre de Moraes as the rapporteur for investigations into a purported coup attempt against former President Jair Bolsonaro. In a decisive vote on December 13, 2024, nine of the eleven justices, including Kassio Nunes Marques, who was appointed by Bolsonaro, rejected the former president's request to remove Moraes from the case. The only dissenting vote came from Justice André Mendonça, who argued for Moraes's removal. The final tally of the vote was 9 to 1, solidifying Moraes's role in overseeing the investigation into the alleged coup. This ruling concludes a judicial process that began on December 6, 2024, with the court's majority firmly opposing Bolsonaro's defense strategy to distance Moraes from the inquiry.