Walfrido Warde and the attempt to link Vorcaro and Lula

Messages retrieved from Daniel Vorcaro's cell phone reveal that lawyer Walfrido Warde, who acted in the banker's defense until January of this year, proposed a “killer strategy” to the owner of Banco Master to spare Alexandre de Moraes from the sanctions imposed by the Magnitsky Act.

Defense strategy at the Inter-American Court

Warde wrote to Vorcaro on August 1, 2025, that “filing a lawsuit with the Inter-American Court of Human Rights under the claim that Donald Trump's administration was attacking a Supreme Federal Court justice” could pave the way for Jair Bolsonaro's election in 2026. The plan also involved “asking ten jurists to say that this happened and is happening.”

Lula's presence in a conversation about whisky

On January 22, 2025, Warde reported that Lula “thanked him once again for the whisky” and “sent a hug” following a meeting with Vorcaro at the Planalto Palace. The message was confirmed by O Globo and CNN Brasil.

Planalto Palace's reaction

The Presidency denied that Lula received any gift or sent any message to the former banker. According to the official statement, the meeting took place on December 4, 2024, without prior scheduling, and Lula merely requested that any allegations be technically analyzed by the Central Bank.

Context of the Magnitsky sanctions

Vorcaro had been placed on the Magnitsky Act target list in 2025. He remained under sanctions for six months, but was removed from the roster in December 2025. Warde's strategy aimed to challenge the application of the law as being “contrary to fundamental rights” of Moraes.

Impact on Banco Master investigations

The bank was liquidated by the Central Bank during the current administration, and Vorcaro was arrested by the Federal Police in an investigation regarding the institution. Warde's messages, therefore, emerge amidst a backdrop of intense investigations and political pressure.

With information from O GLOBO, Jovem Pan, CNN Brasil.