Moraes Denies Pushing Central Bank on Banco Master as Reports Cite Multiple Calls

Overview

• Alexandre de Moraes issued a new note stating he held two meetings with Central Bank chief Gabriel Galípolo in his office to discuss Magnitsky sanctions, denying any pressure, phone calls or discussion of the BRB–Master deal and saying his wife's firm did not act before the Bank on that operation.
• O Globo and Estadão report that Moraes contacted Galípolo several times, including allegations of up to six calls in one day about the Master sale to BRB, while the law firm of Viviane Barci reportedly had a contract worth about R$3.6 million per month, totaling roughly R$129 million.
• The Central Bank released a brief note confirming meetings on Magnitsky effects without explicitly ruling out other subjects, as coverage highlights missing entries in Galípolo’s public agenda and small changes and date errors in Moraes’s successive statements.
• Political fallout grew with talk of impeachment requests and a proposed CPI, Transparency International criticized the explanations, and Supreme Court ministers privately defended Moraes, calling the uproar an overreaction.
• Judicial steps are advancing with minister Dias Toffoli ordering a Dec. 30 confrontation of witnesses in the Master probe, following the bank’s Nov. 18 liquidation and the arrest of owner Daniel Vorcaro in an inquiry into alleged R$12.2 billion frauds.