Supreme Federal Court President Edson Fachin will decide which minister will serve as the rapporteur for a crime report concerning the film "Dark Horse" [1, 2].
The decision is critical because it determines which justice oversees the legal scrutiny of a project involving former president Jair Bolsonaro. The choice of rapporteur can influence the direction of the investigation and the legal standards applied to the case.
The proceedings center on a "notícia-crime," or crime report, regarding the production and content of the film [1, 2]. Currently, the case is linked to Justice Alexandre de Moraes, but the Prosecutor General's Office (PGR) has opposed his continued involvement [1, 2]. The PGR said a perceived conflict of interest was the primary reason for requesting a change in the court's assignment [1, 2].
Senator Flávio Bolsonaro has also intervened in the process. He requested that the rapporteur be changed from Moraes to Justice André Mendonça [1, 2]. Supporters of this shift point to Mendonça's previous presence at the March for Jesus as a sign of alignment with the former president's circles [2].
Justice Fachin now holds the authority to either maintain the current assignment or transfer the case to Mendonça [1, 2]. The outcome will depend on whether the court views the PGR's conflict of interest claims as sufficient to warrant a reassignment of the judicial lead [1, 2].
“Edson Fachin will decide which minister will serve as the rapporteur”
This procedural battle highlights the deep ideological divisions within Brazil's highest court. By attempting to move the case from Moraes—known for his stringent approach to Bolsonaro—to Mendonça, the defense is seeking a rapporteur whose judicial philosophy may be more sympathetic to the former president's legal position.
