Lula distances himself from top court over Banco Master case

Pisses Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva called on Supreme Court justices to explain apparent links to Banco Master SA, saying they must be held accountable if there was misconduct related to the collapsed bank at the center of a scandal roiling Brazil's political system.

- By DANREL CARVALHO.

During a Wednesday interview with local news outlet ICL, Lula said alleged ties between multiple justices and the bank’s jailed former owner had dented the top court’s image. He warned Justice Alexandre de Moraes, in particular, not to let the case tarnish his legacy on the court.

“Alexandre knows it's harming the court’s image,” Lula said of the judge who gained prominence for battling Elon Musk and overseeing the coup plot trial of former President Jair Bolsonaro following a January 8, 2023 insurrection attempt in Brasilia. “I’ll tell you what I told him: You built a historic legacy with the January 8 trial. Don’t let this case throw away your legacy.”

The comments marked the president's clearest attempt to distance himself from the Supreme Court amid a saga that has thrust it into a credibility crisis while posing political risks to Lula ahead of October elections.

Moraes has come under scrutiny over apparent ties to Daniel Vorcaro, the former Master chief executive officer who has twice been arrested as part of a probe into alleged fraud at the lender.