Brazil’s Supreme Court Orders Federal Probe Into Rio’s Crime Finances and Public-Sector Infiltration

Overview

• Justice Alexandre de Moraes converted a confidential petition tied to the ADPF das Favelas into a formal inquiry and directed the Federal Police to report actions taken and lead a macro investigation into laundering schemes and suspected infiltration of public bodies.
• He requested operational images from recent actions in Rio to check for excessive force, urged independent forensic work given the state lab’s subordination to the Civil Police, and pressed for stronger external oversight by prosecutors.
• The Senate’s Organized Crime CPI began work under president Fabiano Contarato with Alessandro Vieira as rapporteur, approving invitations to governors Cláudio Castro and Tarcísio de Freitas and to federal security officials while mapping regional facção structures.
• Congress delayed a CCJ vote on a bill to label facções as terrorist groups as the government advanced its PL Antifacção to toughen penalties and choke illicit financing, renewing disputes over jurisdiction, operational capacity and sovereignty risks.
• PT leader Lindbergh Farias asked the Supreme Court to investigate and temporarily remove Governor Castro over alleged unauthorized dealings with the U.S. DEA and the sharing of confidential reports, a representation now before the Court.