Supreme Court Minister removes Federal Police leadership

Supreme Federal Court Minister André Mendonça has ordered the preventive removal of the Director-General of the Federal Police, Andrei Passos Rodrigues, and the corporation's Intelligence Director, Leandro Almada da Costa.

Mendonça directed the Federal Police Corregedoria to launch criminal and administrative-disciplinary investigations into “grave facts identified” during the production of intelligence reports. In a 33-page decision, Mendonça criticized the technical quality of intelligence reports used by Minister Alexandre de Moraes, describing them as “apocryphal” and lacking official symbols or markings necessary for legitimacy and reliability.

The move has sparked intense political debate, with observers characterizing the conflict between Mendonça and Moraes as a broader political struggle within the judiciary rather than a purely legal dispute.