The Supreme Court’s Repeated Descent into Personal Smears: Gilmar Mendes Doubles Down on Abusive Attacks Against Rodrigo Janot
In yet another disturbing display of judicial arrogance, Supreme Court Minister Gilmar Mendes has once again resorted to crude personal insults against former Prosecutor General Rodrigo Janot. On April 14, 2026, during a session of the STF’s Second Panel, Mendes labeled Janot an “alcoólatra” (alcoholic), described him as a “triste figura” (sad figure), and claimed that by 3 p.m. the former top prosecutor was already inviting people for grappa while ending his days inebriated. He went further, asserting that the 1988 Constitution “could not have imagined” granting such power to someone in that condition, framing it as one of the defining “symbols” of Operation Lava Jato.
This wasn’t a one-off slip or private venting. Mendes was responding to the final report of the CPI do Crime Organizado, which recommends the indictment of several STF ministers—including himself—along with Prosecutor-General Paulo Gonet. Instead of engaging the substance of the criticisms or defending his record through legal reasoning, Mendes chose character assassination against an absent former colleague. He even detected a “quê de lavajatismo” (a touch of Lava Jato-ism) in the parliamentary commission’s methods, equating legitimate congressional oversight with the very anti-corruption efforts he has long sought to discredit.
Conservatives have warned for years that Brazil’s Supreme Court is sliding into institutional rot, where lifelong appointees treat the bench as a platform for personal vendettas rather than impartial justice. Mendes’ latest outburst fits a clear and worsening pattern: the weaponization of judicial rhetoric to settle scores, shield allies, and undermine any challenge to elite impunity. Lava Jato, despite its flaws, exposed systemic corruption involving politicians, contractors, and powerful interests. Its systematic dismantling has relied less on sound legal arguments and more on relentless attacks, selective rulings, and now, repeated public humiliations from the highest court.
What makes this episode especially alarming is its timing and context. Mendes spoke from the safety of the robe, in open court, targeting a public servant who cannot respond in the same forum. The abusive attitude—reducing complex institutional debates to slurs about alcoholism—violates basic standards of judicial decorum and erodes public confidence. Fellow ministers offered no rebuke. The Senate, responsible for oversight, has remained largely passive. This tolerance only accelerates the deterioration, signaling that those at the pinnacle of power face no real accountability.
This is not isolated behavior. It reflects a broader crisis in which segments of the STF prioritize political retaliation over constitutional humility. When a minister facing potential indictment lashes out with personal attacks instead of reasoned defense, it reveals entitlement born of unchecked authority. The Brazilian people, already skeptical of elite institutions, see this as further proof that the Court has become an actor in partisan battles rather than a guardian of the rule of law.
True conservatives defend separation of powers, demand accountability across all branches—including the judiciary—and insist on restoring ethical boundaries and decorum to public life. Personal smears like Mendes’ do nothing to strengthen democracy; they poison discourse, intimidate critics, and deepen cynicism. If the Senate and legal community continue to look away, the abusive pattern will only intensify, leaving Brazil’s institutions more fragile and its citizens more disillusioned.
The republic deserves a Supreme Court that upholds dignity, impartiality, and restraint—not one that descends into petty insults while evading scrutiny. Halting this slide requires concrete action: stronger ethical oversight, legislative checks on judicial overreach, and a cultural return to constitutional limits. Without it, the deterioration on display in April 2026 will continue, undermining the very foundations of Brazilian democracy.