Brazil recalls federal police delegates from Supreme Court and other courts

The Ministry of Justice, acting on President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva's directive, has issued about 100 official requests for the return of federal police officers, federal highway agents and penal police who were temporarily assigned to more than 50 federal, state and municipal bodies. The recall targets delegates who were working in ministries, the Supreme Federal Court (STF) and the Superior Court of Justice (STJ) as part of the Brazil Against Organized Crime program.

The STF was initially excluded from the first round of recalls, but the government says a second phase could involve its five delegates. Among those affected are advisors to ministers André Mendonça, Alexandre de Moraes and Luiz Fux, as well as judges handling high‑profile investigations into alleged INSS pension fraud and the Banco Master case. The move has sparked concern from the National Association of Federal Police Delegates, which warns that pulling these agents could impair ongoing investigations.

The recall aims to reinforce the operational capacity of Brazil’s security forces in the fight against organized crime, while balancing the need to maintain strategic police expertise within the judiciary.