President of the Republic during the period when Moro was minister and until 2022. Investigated in Inquiry 4831 over facts reported by Moro; denies interference in the PF.
Being in this archive does not mean having committed any wrongdoing. Procedural status: see each case and episode, with date.
Evidence mentioning Jair Bolsonaro
Moro stated, on April 24, 2020, that in the conversation of November 1, 2018 the president promised him carte blanche to appoint aides at bodies such as the PF and the PRF, and that replacing the director-general without cause would violate that promise.
AccusationAllegation
Source: Leia a íntegra e assista ao discurso de demissão de Sergio Moro — Poder360, Apr. 24, 2020 · resignation speech, paragraphs on the invitation and on the replacement of the director-general · open original ↗
Bolsonaro stated, on April 24, 2020, that he agreed with Moro and with all ministers on autonomy subject to the president's power of veto over key posts, and that he gave up appointing the PF director-general because he trusted Moro.
StatementAllegation
Source: Leia a íntegra do pronunciamento de Bolsonaro depois da saída de Moro — Poder360, Apr. 24, 2020 · address, paragraphs on the meeting in Barra da Tijuca · open original ↗
On August 16, 2019, Bolsonaro said he would put the PF superintendent in Amazonas, Alexandre Saraiva, in command of the PF in Rio; the dismissal of Superintendent Ricardo Saadi appeared in the Official Gazette on August 30, 2019, and the PF announced Federal Police chief investigator Carlos Henrique Oliveira Souza as the new superintendent, while Bolsonaro defended the name of Alexandre Saraiva.
News reportSeveral independent sources
Source: Moro relaciona troca na PF do RJ a pedido de Queiroz para acesso à investigação — Congresso em Foco, June 23, 2020 · paragraphs 5 to 7 · open original ↗
According to an excerpt of Saadi's testimony described in a news report, Valeixo phoned on August 15, 2019 saying he would move up the replacement of the Rio superintendency and wanted to move him to Brasília, without revealing reasons; minutes later he received the link to Bolsonaro's statement to the press.
Document described in a news reportSingle source
Source: Moro relaciona troca na PF do RJ a pedido de Queiroz para acesso à investigação — Congresso em Foco, June 23, 2020 · quotation from the testimony · open original ↗
In testimony to the PF (November 3, 2021), Bolsonaro confirmed that in August 2019 he suggested to Moro changing the PF leadership in Rio and said he did so because the state is very complicated and he understood that the superintendent needed more freedom; he denied intending to obtain privileged information.
Document described in a news reportSingle source
Source: Bolsonaro diz que sugeriu mudança na PF do Rio porque Estado é 'complicado' — Poder360, Nov. 4, 2021 · paragraphs 3 to 6 · open original ↗
Moro's defense stated, in a petition attached to the inquiry by Federal Police chief investigator Christiane Correa Machado, that Bolsonaro's first wish to replace the Rio superintendent occurred in August 2019, the same month in which Fabrício Queiroz's defense requested access to a confidential PF inquiry in Rio that would mention Queiroz and, indirectly, Flávio Bolsonaro.
AccusationAllegation
Source: Moro relaciona troca na PF do RJ a pedido de Queiroz para acesso à investigação — Congresso em Foco, June 23, 2020 · paragraphs 1 to 4 and 10 · open original ↗
On April 29, 2020, in MS 37.097 (PDT), Justice Alexandre de Moraes suspended the decree appointing Alexandre Ramagem as PF director-general, pointing to the viability, 'in theory', of misuse of purpose, and cited Moro's public statements and the open inquiry (the express mention of the released messages was not confirmed; text of the decision not opened).
Judicial or administrative decisionSeveral independent sources
Source: Alexandre suspende nomeação de Ramagem para a chefia da PF — Consultor Jurídico, Apr. 29, 2020 · excerpt of the decision reproduced; 'MS 37.097' · open original ↗
On April 27, 2020, Celso de Mello authorized the opening of Inquiry 4831 at the request of Prosecutor General Augusto Aras, to investigate facts reported by Moro; Aras cited, in theory, ideological falsehood, coercion in the course of proceedings, administrative advocacy, malfeasance, obstruction of justice, and passive corruption.
Judicial or administrative decisionProven in a document
Source: Ministro Celso de Mello autoriza inquérito para apurar declarações do ex-ministro Sérgio Moro envolvendo o presidente da República — Supreme Federal Court (news portal), Apr. 27, 2020 · text of the news item · open original ↗
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
Source: Leia a íntegra e assista ao discurso de demissão de Sergio Moro — Poder360, Apr. 24, 2020 · full speech (37 min 58 s) · open original ↗
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
Source: Leia a íntegra do pronunciamento de Bolsonaro depois da saída de Moro — Poder360, Apr. 24, 2020 · full address · open original ↗
Jornal Nacional showed a screenshot, displayed by Moro, of a conversation of April 22, 2020 in which Bolsonaro sent a link from the site O Antagonista (PF 'on the heels of' allied deputies) and wrote 'one more reason for the change'; Moro replied that the inquiry was being conducted by Justice Alexandre de Moraes, at the STF.
Leaked messageSeveral independent sources
Source: JN exibe suposta troca de mensagens de Moro com Bolsonaro — Poder360, Apr. 24, 2020 · paragraphs 4 to 8 · open original ↗
Moro showed Jornal Nacional a conversation with Deputy Carla Zambelli in which she asks him to accept Ramagem at the PF and suggests she would help make his nomination to the STF viable; he replies that he is not for sale. Zambelli, when contacted, did not comment at the time.
Leaked messageSeveral independent sources
Source: JN exibe suposta troca de mensagens de Moro com Bolsonaro — Poder360, Apr. 24, 2020 · paragraphs 9 to 12 · open original ↗
On May 22, 2020, Celso de Mello released to any citizen access to the video of the ministerial meeting of April 22, 2020 and to the transcription, with restrictions only on passages that mention two countries with diplomatic relations with Brazil.
Judicial or administrative decisionProven in a document
Source: Ministro Celso de Mello autoriza acesso a vídeo de reunião ministerial — Supreme Federal Court (news portal), May 22, 2020 · text of the news item · open original ↗
At the ministerial meeting of April 22, 2020, Bolsonaro said he had already tried to replace 'our security people in Rio de Janeiro' and that he would not wait to 'screw over' his family or friends because he could not replace someone in security 'at the end of the line'; the statement does not name Moro, the PF, or the superintendency.
StatementProven in a document
Source: Leia a íntegra da transcrição da reunião ministerial de 22 de abril — Poder360, May 22, 2020 · Bolsonaro's statement after that of Abraham Weintraub · open original ↗
In testimony to the PF (November 3, 2021), according to the report, Bolsonaro said he was referring to a small GSI unit responsible for the security of himself and his family and that he wanted to improve the monitoring of his son Carlos; he was not talking about a PF superintendency.
Document described in a news reportSingle source
Source: Bolsonaro diz que sugeriu mudança na PF do Rio porque Estado é 'complicado' — Poder360, Nov. 4, 2021 · paragraphs on the April 22 meeting · open original ↗
On May 2, 2020, Moro testified for about eight hours at the PF headquarters in Curitiba, reaffirmed the accusations, handed over audio recordings, e-mails, and conversations (and his cell phone), and was accompanied by three PGR prosecutors.
News reportSeveral independent sources
Source: Sergio Moro fala por 8 horas e reafirma acusações contra Bolsonaro — Poder360, May 3, 2020 · paragraphs 1 to 6 · open original ↗
Moro's testimony, released by Celso de Mello on May 4, 2020 and made public on May 5, reports that on April 22, 2020 Bolsonaro demanded the replacement of the Rio superintendency and of the director-general, said he needed trusted people to obtain intelligence reports and that he 'would replace the director-general and the minister himself'; Moro said the pressure returned in January 2020 with Ramagem's name.
Document described in a news reportSingle source
Source: 'Você tem 27 superintendências, eu quero apenas uma, a do RJ': confira depoimento de Moro à PF — Tribuna de Jundiaí, May 5, 2020 · sections 'Pressure for changes', 'Changes in RJ and PE', and 'Ramagem's name' · open original ↗
In testimony to the PF (November 3, 2021), Bolsonaro repeated that Moro had agreed to Ramagem's appointment as long as it took place after his nomination to the STF, and that he had demanded 'greater effort' from Moro on the Marielle case doorman and on the Adélio case.
Document described in a news reportSingle source
Source: Em depoimento, Bolsonaro diz que Moro condicionou troca na PF à vaga no STF — Poder360, Nov. 2021 · paragraphs 3 to 5 · open original ↗
In March 2022 the PF concluded that Bolsonaro did not interfere in the force and recommended closing the case; the report states that 18 people were heard and that no consistent evidence was found.
Document described in a news reportSeveral independent sources
Source: Moraes pede que PGR avalie arquivamento de inquérito contra Bolsonaro — Agência Brasil (EBC, a public company), May 17, 2024 · quotation from the report · open original ↗
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
Source: PF contraria Moraes e Gonet e repete que Bolsonaro não interferiu em investigações — Gazeta do Povo, Apr. 12, 2026 · paragraphs 1 to 8 · open original ↗
On October 4, 2022, two days after being elected senator, Moro announced on Twitter his support for Bolsonaro in the runoff against Lula. Poder360 reported that Moro and Bolsonaro had reconciled by phone, via Flávio Bolsonaro, the day before.
StatementSeveral independent sources
Source: Moro anuncia apoio a Bolsonaro no 2º turno — Poder360, Oct. 4, 2022 · paragraphs 1 to 4 · open original ↗
On October 4, 2022, according to Folha de Pernambuco, Bolsonaro said that the differences with Moro had been overcome; on October 5, 2022, according to Correio Braziliense, he said that 'the past is the past', that Moro lacked 'a bit more political experience' when he worked in the government and, asked whether he trusted Moro, that this was 'a detail'. Folha PE does not carry the October 5 excerpts or the reconciliation by phone (recorded by Poder360).
StatementSeveral independent sources
Source: Sergio Moro declara apoio a Bolsonaro no segundo turno das eleições — Folha de Pernambuco, Oct. 4, 2022 · paragraph 'Elected senator for Paraná last Sunday' · open original ↗
According to Revista Fórum (April 7, 2026), at the press conference of April 6, 2026 in Curitiba Moro did not directly answer whether he saw a risk of Flávio Bolsonaro controlling the PF; Revista Fórum links the question to the accusation Moro made against Jair Bolsonaro in 2020 (Moro's accusation was about obtaining information and intelligence reports and changing the PF leadership; 'controlling the PF' is the outlet's framing).
News reportSingle source
Source: Moro se irrita, se enrola e foge de pergunta sobre Flávio Bolsonaro e controle da PF; veja vídeo — Revista Fórum, Apr. 7, 2026 · paragraphs 3 to 6 · open original ↗
According to Revista Fórum (October 21, 2026), in an interview with Flow Podcast (date not given) Moro said that Bolsonaro reacted with irritation to Dias Toffoli's decision (July 2019, at the request of Flávio's defense) on Coaf data (Moro's account reproduced by Fórum, without quotation marks here) and that he associated the move of Coaf to another ministry with Bolsonaro's concern about investigations of family members.
AccusationSingle source
Source: Moro acusou Bolsonaro de tentar barrar investigação contra Flávio? Entenda o caso — Revista Fórum, Oct. 21, 2026 · paragraphs 1 to 7 · open original ↗
Lula's defense argued that Moro's acceptance of Jair Bolsonaro's invitation to the Ministry of Justice would indicate bias and political motivation; Cármen Lúcia cited the forced appearance for questioning without prior summons and the interception of lawyers and said her vote did not consider conversations released by the press and absent from the case file.
AccusationProven in a document
Source: 2ª Turma reconhece parcialidade de ex-juiz Sérgio Moro na condenação de Lula no caso Triplex — Supreme Federal Court, Mar. 23, 2021 · section on arguments · open original ↗
