In attacking Sergio Moro, Bolsonaro risks making an enemy of the Federal Police

In yet another attack on his Justice Minister Sergio Moro, Brazil’s President Jair Bolsonaro could be making some very dangerous enemies within the country’s Federal Police.

Federal law enforcement has reacted badly to Mr. Bolsonaro’s latest attempts to interfere in key appointments within the force, an agency which traditionally holds a large degree of autonomy from the government.

In response to the backlash, the president called the complaints of his detractors within the Federal Police “nonsense,” and suggested that the corporation should “cool off.”

Meddling in police business

Last month, the Federal Police had planned to substitute the head of the force in Rio de Janeiro, but were caught off guard when Jair Bolsonaro announced the change himself, suggesting Ricardo Saadi would be dismissed due to matters of “management and productivity,” and that Amazonas police chief Alexandre Saraiva was the government’s pick for Mr. Saadi’s vacancy.

There were three problems with Mr. Bolsonaro’s declaration, from the point of view of the Federal Police.

The corporation had planned to replace Mr. Saadi for some time, and denied it had a connection to any management or productivity issues. In a statement, the Federal Police said the change “had been planned for months” and was the result of “the desire of [Mr. Saadi] to work in Brasilia, having no relation to his performance.”

Also, the corporation’s pick for the new Rio chief was Carlos Henrique Oliveira—the current head of the Federal Police in Pernambuco—and not Alexandre Saraiva.

Finally—and perhaps most importantly—the appointment of state superintendents is the responsibility of the...