Marcelo Bretas: the new Car Wash face cozying up to Bolsonaro

Since Sergio Moro left the bench to become Jair Bolsonaro’s Justice Minister, the gravitational center of the Operation Car Wash corruption investigations moved from Curitiba, where Mr. Moro served as a judge, to Rio de Janeiro. In the Wonderful City, the new face of Car Wash is Federal Judge Marcelo Bretas, who has ordered several high-profile arrests, such as those of former President Michel Temer and former billionaire—and now “just” super-rich—Eike Batista. 

Mr. Bretas has never shied away from the limelight; in fact, he has often reveled in it. However, his excessive exposure is now causing a negative backlash.

Over the weekend, Mr. Bretas escorted President Jair Bolsonaro to an Evangelical Christian event in Rio de Janeiro. Beyond simply accompanying the head of state, Mr. Bretas greeted Mr. Bolsonaro at the airport, received a lift in the president’s car, and was even invited to the inauguration of an infrastructure project—the kind of event politicians would...