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Moro's resignation and Bolsonaro's response (April 24, 2020)

Sergio Moro · Jair Bolsonaro

Moro announced his departure from the ministry, accusing Bolsonaro of insisting on replacing the Federal Police (PF) leadership without cause and of wanting a person of personal acquaintance to obtain information and intelligence reports, and said the president mentioned inquiries at the Supreme Federal Court (STF). Hours later Bolsonaro responded in a 46-minute address: he denied interference, said Moro made Valeixo's replacement conditional on a nomination to the Supreme Federal Court (STF), and that he 'never' asked to interfere in investigations.

Status as of April 12, 2026: Accusation under investigation in Inquiry 4831 (see Inquiry 4831 (STF) — Sergio Moro's statements on alleged interference by Jair Bolsonaro in the PF), open according to the latest news located (April 12, 2026). No indictment or conviction for these facts in the sources read.
Sources (2)

On October 16, 2025 the STF reported that Moraes granted a PGR request and reopened the investigations in Inq 4831; the PGR, which in September 2022 had asked for closure, said on October 15, 2025 that the case file indicates the need for complementary measures.

Judicial or administrative decisionProven in a document

According to Gazeta do Povo (April 12, 2026), the PF delivered to Moraes on April 2, 2026 a new report which, according to the article, analyzed Inq 4781 (fake news) and 4828 (anti-democratic acts) and concludes, for the second time, that Bolsonaro did not interfere in investigations that affected relatives and allies; Moraes kept the inquiry open and sent the report to Gonet.

Document described in a news reportSingle source
Accusation
Sergio Moro: Bolsonaro attempted to interfere politically in the Federal Police (PF), wanting a person of personal acquaintance to obtain information and intelligence reports, and mentioned concern about inquiries at the Supreme Federal Court (STF).
Sources (1)

On April 24, 2020, Moro announced that he was leaving the Ministry of Justice, accusing Bolsonaro of insisting on changing the PF leadership and of wanting a person in personal contact in order to obtain information and intelligence reports, and said he had not signed the decree dismissing Valeixo.

AccusationAllegation
Response
Jair Bolsonaro: Denied wanting to know about ongoing investigations and said he had never asked for a relative to be shielded. — verbatim quote
Sources (1)

On the same day, in an address of about 46 minutes, Bolsonaro denied having interfered in the PF, stated that it is his prerogative to dismiss the director-general, said Valeixo agreed to leave at his own request, and that Moro had conditioned the change on a nomination to the STF.

StatementAllegation
Jair Bolsonaro: Said that Moro made Valeixo's replacement conditional on a nomination to the Supreme Federal Court (STF). — verbatim quote
Sources (1)

On the same day, in an address of about 46 minutes, Bolsonaro denied having interfered in the PF, stated that it is his prerogative to dismiss the director-general, said Valeixo agreed to leave at his own request, and that Moro had conditioned the change on a nomination to the STF.

StatementAllegation

Quotes

Inclusive foi me prometida, na ocasião, carta branca para nomear todos os assessores, inclusive desses órgãos, né, policiais, como a Polícia Rodoviária Federal e a própria Polícia Federal.

Portal translation: In fact, I was promised, at the time, carte blanche to appoint all the advisers, including in these bodies, right, police bodies, such as the Federal Highway Police and the Federal Police itself.

Sergio Moro · April 24, 2020 · Address · Address at the Ministry of Justice, transcribed by Poder360

Context, original and sources →
O presidente me disse, mais de uma vez, expressamente, que ele queria ter uma pessoa do contato pessoal dele, que ele pudesse ligar, que ele pudesse colher informações, que ele pudesse colher relatórios de inteligência, seja o diretor, seja superintendente. E realmente […]

Portal translation: The president told me, more than once, expressly, that he wanted to have a person in his personal contact, whom he could call, from whom he could gather information, from whom he could gather intelligence reports, whether the director or a superintendent. And it is […]

Sergio Moro · April 24, 2020 · Address · Address at the Ministry of Justice, transcribed by Poder360

Context, original and sources →
Falei ao presidente que seria uma interferência política. Ele disse que seria mesmo.

Portal translation: I told the president it would be political interference. He said it would indeed be.

Sergio Moro · April 24, 2020 · Address · Address at the Ministry of Justice, transcribed by Poder360

Context, original and sources →
Presidente também me informou que tinha a preocupação para inquéritos em curso no Supremo Tribunal Federal e que a troca também seria oportuna da Polícia Federal por este motivo. Também não é uma razão o que justifique a substituição, até algo que gera uma grande preocupação.

Portal translation: The president also informed me that he was concerned about inquiries under way at the Supreme Federal Court and that replacing the Federal Police head would also be opportune for that reason. That is also not a reason that justifies the replacement; it is even something […]

Sergio Moro · April 24, 2020 · Address · Address at the Ministry of Justice, transcribed by Poder360

Context, original and sources →
A exoneração que foi publicada eu fiquei sabendo pelo Diário Oficial pela madrugada. Eu não assinei esse decreto. […] Vi que depois a Secom afirmou que houve essa exoneração a pedido, mas isso de fato não é verdadeiro.

Portal translation: The dismissal that was published, I found out about in the Official Gazette in the early hours of the morning. I did not sign that decree. […] I saw that Secom afterwards stated that the dismissal was at his request, but that is in fact not true.

Sergio Moro · April 24, 2020 · Address · Address at the Ministry of Justice, transcribed by Poder360

Context, original and sources →
[…] que eu teria estabelecido como condição para assumir o Ministério da Justiça, uma nomeação ao Supremo Tribunal Federal. Nunca houve essa condição.

Portal translation: […] that I would have set as a condition for taking the Ministry of Justice an appointment to the Supreme Federal Court. There was never any such condition.

Sergio Moro · April 24, 2020 · Address · Address at the Ministry of Justice, transcribed by Poder360

Context, original and sources →
Infelizmente não tem como persistir com o compromisso que assumi, sem que eu tenha condições de trabalho, sem que ele tenha condições de preservar a autonomia da Polícia Federal para realizar seus trabalhos, ou sendo forçado a sinalizar uma concordância, como a […]

Portal translation: Unfortunately there is no way to persist with the commitment I made, without my having conditions to work, without his having conditions to preserve the Federal Police's autonomy to carry out its work, or being forced to signal agreement, such as with political […]

Sergio Moro · April 24, 2020 · Address · Address at the Ministry of Justice, transcribed by Poder360

Context, original and sources →
Acertamos, como fiz com todos os ministros: vai ter autonomia no seu ministério. Autonomia não é sinal de soberania. A todos os ministros, e a ele também, falei do meu poder de veto. Os cargos chaves teriam que passar pelas minhas mãos e eu daria o sinal verde ou não.

Portal translation: We agreed, as I did with all the ministers: he will have autonomy in his ministry. Autonomy is not a sign of sovereignty. To all the ministers, and to him as well, I spoke of my veto power. The key positions would have to pass through my hands and I would give the green […]

Jair Bolsonaro · April 24, 2020 · Address · Address at the Planalto Palace

Context, original and sources →
Não são verdadeiras as insinuações de que eu desejaria saber sobre investigações em andamento. Nos quase 16 meses em que esteve à frente do MJSP o senhor Sergio Moro sabe que jamais lhe procurei para interferir nas investigações que estavam sendo realizadas.

Portal translation: The insinuations that I wanted to know about ongoing investigations are not true. In the almost 16 months that he headed the MJSP, Mr. Sergio Moro knows that I never sought him out to interfere in the investigations being carried out.

Jair Bolsonaro · April 24, 2020 · Address · Address at the Planalto Palace, transcribed by Poder360

Context, original and sources →
Nunca pedi para blindar ninguém da minha família. Jamais faria isso.

Portal translation: I never asked to shield anyone in my family. I would never do that.

Jair Bolsonaro · April 24, 2020 · Address · Address at the Planalto Palace, transcribed by Poder360

Context, original and sources →
E mais: já que ele falou em algumas particularidades, mais de uma vez, o senhor Sergio Moro falou para mim: você pode trocar o Valeixo, sim, mas em novembro, depois que o senhor me indicar para o Supremo Tribunal Federal. Me desculpa, mas não é por aí.

Portal translation: And furthermore: since he mentioned some particulars, more than once, Mr. Sergio Moro told me: you can replace Valeixo, yes, but in November, after you nominate me to the Supreme Federal Court. Sorry, but that's not how it goes.

Jair Bolsonaro · April 24, 2020 · Address · Address at the Planalto Palace, transcribed by Poder360

Context, original and sources →
E o dia que eu tiver que me submeter a qualquer subordinado meu, eu deixo de ser presidente da República.

Portal translation: And the day I have to submit to any subordinate of mine, I stop being President of the Republic.

Jair Bolsonaro · April 24, 2020 · Address · Address at the Planalto Palace, transcribed by Poder360

Context, original and sources →
Então, as entrevistas de janeiro e março sobre o presidente não interferir na PF eram verdadeiras, mas não são mais

Portal translation: So, the interviews in January and March about the president not interfering in the PF were true, but they no longer are

Sergio Moro · April 25, 2020 · Interview · O Globo (interview), quoted by Poder360

Context, original and sources →

Evidence

On April 24, 2020, Moro announced that he was leaving the Ministry of Justice, accusing Bolsonaro of insisting on changing the PF leadership and of wanting a person in personal contact in order to obtain information and intelligence reports, and said he had not signed the decree dismissing Valeixo.

AccusationAllegation

News report · full text examined · accessed on Oct. 24, 2026

Limitations: Accusation attributed to Moro; the PF, in 2022 and 2026, reported that it found no interference (see fonte and fonte).

On the same day, in an address of about 46 minutes, Bolsonaro denied having interfered in the PF, stated that it is his prerogative to dismiss the director-general, said Valeixo agreed to leave at his own request, and that Moro had conditioned the change on a nomination to the STF.

StatementAllegation

News report · full text examined · accessed on Oct. 24, 2026

Limitations: One party's version.

In an interview with Globo (April 25, 2020), Moro said that the interviews of January and March 2020 in which he stated that Bolsonaro did not interfere in the PF were true at the time, but that the attempts occurred after March 12.

StatementSingle source

Excerpt: “as entrevistas de janeiro e março sobre o presidente não interferir na PF eram verdadeiras, mas não são mais”

News report · full text examined · accessed on Oct. 24, 2026

Limitations: Original Globo interview not read. The January and March 2020 interviews were not located for comparison.

Identifier: ep:demissao-moro-24-abril-2020