STF Orders Federal Police Probe of Lulinha Leaks, Shields Journalists

Overview

• On Thursday Minister André Mendonça instructed the Polícia Federal to investigate the origin and custody breaches of leaked investigation material while explicitly ruling that journalists who published the content should not be targeted.
• Revista Veja published images of messages between Fábio Luís Lula da Silva (Lulinha) and lobbyist Roberta Luchsinger that reporters say show a private intermediation network linked to interests around federal agencies.
• The Procuradoria-Geral da República asked the Supreme Court to transfer the inquérito out of the STF to first-instance courts, creating a fight over which forum will control the case going forward.
• Lulinha’s lawyer praised Mendonça’s order but warned the leaks may have caused irreversible damage, and President Lula’s campaign now treats the revelations as an active electoral risk while urging the son to answer authorities.
• Police and political sources told the press they expect possible new PF actions in September; the case stems from Operation Sem Desconto and involves three STF-authorized inquéritos even though the PGR says investigators have not shown a concluded public contract linked to the probe.