Good morning! In today’s issue: Brazil’s Supreme Court moves to censor the press. Pension reform fails its first test. Brazilian economy could have negative quarter.
Brazil’s Supreme Court against fake news—or against the news?
On March 14, the Supreme Court opened an investigation into the spreading of fake news and intimidating messages against its members. Since yesterday, the court has been acting against its detractors. Justice Alexandre de Moraes, who oversees the case, reportedly ordered 10 search and seizure operations against people accused of promoting the shutdown of the court—including retired military officers and prosecutors.
The court also censored a report by Crusoé, an online magazine, linking Chief Justice Dias Toffoli to construction company Odebrecht. Former CEO Marcelo Odebrecht told Operation Car Wash investigators that a codename mentioned in emails referred to Dias Toffoli (see document below). Justice Moraes called the story a “textbook example of fake news”—although the concept doesn’t exist in Brazilian law. He ordered the publication to remove the story or pay a BRL 100,000 fine for every day it remains online, and summoned the reporters to provide depositions.
The Supreme Court’s actions in this case are worrisome, to say the least. The court is acting as judge,...