Attorney General of Brazil Calls for Lifting Secrecy on Master Case Petition
Vice‑Attorney Hindenburgo Chateaubriand's decision influences the STF ruling on Bank Master frauds
The request to lift the seal on petition 15,645 gained prominence after being placed on the STF plenary agenda, which will hear issues related to the Bank Master frauds this Tuesday.
Request to remove secrecy from petition 15,645
Vice‑Attorney General of the Republic Hindemburgo Chateaubriand Filho signed a statement supporting the end of secrecy for petition 15,645, which was distributed as a precaution to Minister André Mendonça. The document was submitted in response to a request from Minister Alexandre de Moraes for the case files to be made available.
Attorney General's position and arguments
The AG's Office explained that the petition was not listed among the procedures previously sent to the STF because "it does not appear visible to the AG in the STF system." Nevertheless, the office highlighted that the document contains "relevant elements for a minister of this Court to understand the full range of factors involved in the matter under debate."
Reaction of Minister André Mendonça
André Mendonça, the minister responsible for custodial control of the files, kept sealed more than 30 instances of bank and tax secrecy breaches in the Master case, arguing that disclosure would "only contribute" to "disrupting" the trial and could jeopardize the "success" of the investigations.
Decision by President Edson Fachin
STF President Edson Fachin accepted Moraes' request and ordered the lifting of secrecy on petition 15,645, stating that "in view of the Attorney General's Office statement, I grant the request made." The ruling lifts the seal on the entire procedure, except where investigative actions are still ongoing.
Impact on the Master case trial
With petition 15,645 now public, ministers will have access to material considered essential for analyzing the Bank Master frauds. The measure may affect deliberations on petition 16,662, slated for discussion in Tuesday's session, and could reduce internal disputes over access to documents and electronic device data related to the case.
Sources: Folha de S.Paulo, O GLOBO, Migalhas.
Source: Folha de S.Paulo, O GLOBO, Migalhas