Edson Fachin Takes Helm of Brazil’s Supreme Court as Alexandre de Moraes Becomes Vice President

Overview

• In his inaugural address, Fachin stressed legal predictability, institutional trust and the separation of law from politics, vowing that the Court’s commitment is to the Constitution.
• The STF moves into a decisive stage of the January 8 coup‑related cases, with additional defendant groups queued for judgment as Fachin organizes plenary priorities and leads the CNJ.
• External pressure shapes the new term, with U.S. Magnitsky sanctions already applied to Moraes and congressional initiatives that could later bring amnesty questions before the Court.
• Fachin’s first‑week agenda also includes disputes over Rappi employment rulings, pre‑2003 health‑plan age‑based adjustments, and the Ferrogrão conservation challenge.
• The swearing‑in drew cross‑party officials and opposition governors, while São Paulo governor Tarcísio de Freitas declined to attend despite being in Brasília.