✓ verbatim from the press ? no verbatim passage
Supreme Court Justice Gilmar Mendes stated on Monday (22) that Court President Edson Fachin erred in choosing the timing to present the proposal for a court ethics code. During an interview on the Roda Viva program, Gilmar criticized the initiative for being announced when the STF was discussing internal matters involving justices mentioned in Master case investigations, suggesting the proposal functioned as a "smokescreen" and would not garner votes in the collegiate body. ✓
Press quotes (2)
"A censura que eu fiz ao código de ética do Fachin foi em relação ao momento, à escolha do momento em que ele foi apresentado, quando se discutiam questões internas do Supremo Tribunal Federal. Acho que ele não foi feliz na escolha desse momento"
"Era uma espécie de cobertura de fumaça [o código de conduta]. Isso não ia unir o colegiado"
The proposal had been announced by Fachin on February 2, 2026, at the solemn opening session of the Judicial Year. According to the STF news website, the Court president "reaffirmed the commitment to institutional integrity and announced that Justice Cármen Lúcia will be the rapporteur of the proposal for a Court Ethics Code, a priority of his administration for greater transparency, accountability and public trust." ?
Press quotes (1)
"Na sessão solene de abertura do Ano Judiciário de 2026, nesta segunda-feira (2), o presidente do Supremo Tribunal Federal (STF) e do Conselho Nacional de Justiça (CNJ), ministro Edson Fachin, reafirmou o compromisso com a integridade institucional e anunciou que a ministra Cármen Lúcia será a relatora da proposta de um Código de Ética do Tribunal, prioridade de sua gestão para maior transparência, responsabilidade e confiança pública."
According to Gilmar, the ethics code proposal began circulating at the moment when Justices Dias Toffoli and Alexandre de Moraes were mentioned for alleged relationships with Master case targets. "At the moment when allegations against Alexandre and Toffoli emerged, that seemed like an opportunistic move to avoid discussing a series of issues we have in the Judiciary," he told Valor Econômico. For the justice, it is not a good time for discussion because the Court would be in a moment of fragility. ✓
Press quotes (2)
"No momento em que surgiram as denúncias contra Alexandre e Toffoli, aquilo pareceu um aproveitamento para não discutir uma série de questões que temos no Judiciário"
"Não é um bom momento por uma questão simples: não se aprova nessas circunstâncias. Podemos ter as ideias mais interessantes e elaboradas para as finalidades mais diversas. Mas se eu quero aprovar, preciso unir o colegiado."
Gilmar stated there was "a certain youthful enthusiasm" around the proposal to adopt an ethics code inspired by the German model, but emphasized differences between constitutional systems. "There was a certain youthful enthusiasm saying: 'We're going to have a German ethics code'. And I even took the trouble to compare the text of the German code with our legislation, and there are many coincidences. Now, the German tradition of constitutional jurisdiction is different from the Brazilian tradition of constitutional jurisdiction," he told CNN Brasil. ✓
Press quotes (1)
"Houve um certo entusiasmo juvenil dizendo: 'Nós vamos ter um código de ética alemão'. E eu até me dei ao trabalho de comparar o texto do código alemão com a nossa legislação, e há muitas coincidências. Agora, a tradição alemã de jurisdição constitucional é diferente da tradição brasileira de jurisdição constitucional"
Asked about when would be the best time to discuss an ethics code, given that the Court is constantly at the center of crises, the justice did not respond, according to CNN Brasil. ✓
Press quotes (1)
"Questionado por jornalistas sobre quando seria o melhor momento, uma vez que a Corte está constantemente no centro de crises, o ministro não respondeu."
Gilmar Mendes stated that Fachin erred in choosing the timing to present the STF ethics code proposal
Gilmar compared the Brazilian proposal to the German ethics code and pointed out differences between constitutional traditions
Covered by only some sources, or where the accounts diverge.
Covered by only some sources (2)
Gilmar Mendes stated that Fachin had met more with CNJ councilors than with STF justices about the proposal
Gilmar Mendes compared investigations into Daniel Vorcaro's bank to Lava-Jato during the Roda Viva program
Conflicting versions (1)
Description of the ethics code proposal as 'smokescreen' or 'smoke cover'
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What is the specific content of the ethics code proposal prepared by Justice Cármen Lúcia?
Why it's still unknown: No source detailed the text or specific provisions of the proposal, focusing only on Gilmar Mendes's criticism of the timing of its presentation.
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Which international supreme courts have formal ethics codes and how were they adopted?
Why it's still unknown: Gilmar Mendes mentioned the German code and compared it with Brazilian legislation, but no source presented a systematic survey of ethics codes in constitutional courts of other countries or the adoption process of these codes.
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Do other Brazilian superior courts (STJ, TST, TSE) have their own ethics codes?
Why it's still unknown: No source reported whether the National Council of Justice or other Brazilian superior courts have already adopted specific ethics codes, which would allow assessing whether the absence at the STF is an exception or rule in the Brazilian Judiciary.
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Were there previous attempts to institute an ethics code at the STF, when and why did they not succeed?
Why it's still unknown: No source presented a history of previous ethics code proposals at the STF, preventing assessment of whether the discussion is recurring or a reaction to a specific recent event.
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What is the position of the other STF justices regarding the ethics code proposal?
Why it's still unknown: Sources reported only Gilmar Mendes's criticism and did not inform whether other justices have spoken for or against the proposal, or whether there is formal discussion underway in the collegiate body.