Leading Brazilian business associations, among them the National Confederation of Industry (CNI), the Federation of Industries of the State of São Paulo (Fiesp) and the National Confederation of Commerce (CNC), released a "Manifesto to the Brazilian Nation" on Wednesday (9). The document demands that the Supreme Federal Court (STF), Brazil's top court, examine the facts behind the crisis now gripping the bench in a public session of its full panel, and rule with urgency. According to the news site G1, the manifesto ran on a dedicated website and in print newspaper ads.
What the document demands
The groups say Brazil faces "an institutional crisis of extreme gravity" with the Supreme Court at its epicenter. The text names no justices and details no specific episodes, and states that the loss of a court's legitimacy undermines legal certainty, trust in institutions and social peace. "The Supreme Federal Court is the guardian of the Constitution, but no guardian is exempt from accounting for its actions," the manifesto reads. In the version cited by Congresso em Foco, it adds: "Every day is one more day of discredit."
"Brazilian Society demands that the Supreme Court's full panel examine the facts in a public session and decide with absolute urgency, without subterfuge and without corporatism. The answer the Nation awaits admits no deadline!"
Besides the CNI, Fiesp and CNC, signatories include the CACB, Facesp, the São Paulo State Agriculture Federation (Faesp) and FecomercioSP, the São Paulo commerce and services federation. According to Congresso em Foco, Fiesp leads the mobilization and the website remains open to endorsements: 2,764 had registered by early Wednesday morning (9), from associations, federations and employer unions in sectors ranging from autos and construction to finance, agribusiness, retail and law. The Commercial Association of São Paulo and Anfavea, the automakers' association, are also on the list.
The demand comes amid an open confrontation between Justices Alexandre de Moraes and André Mendonça and the fallout of investigations tied to former banker Daniel Vorcaro, as reported by Congresso em Foco. On Tuesday (8), Mendonça ordered the removal of Federal Police director-general Andrei Rodrigues and the force's intelligence director, Leandro Almada, raising tensions in Brasilia.
Industry's warning
In a separate note titled "We will not give up on Brazil", CNI president Ricardo Alban said "the successive crises that occur in Brasilia put the institutions at risk" and asked that decisions weigh their effects on competitiveness, productivity and job creation. "We cannot allow political, electoral or institutional crises to stall development. We cannot, once again, lose the opportunities for growth in the international arena," he wrote.
The economic case the groups make links both ends of the supply chain. For producers, the manifesto ties the court's questioned legitimacy to legal certainty, the basis for investment and hiring decisions. For consumers, Alban projects the risks onto employment, competitiveness and growth, and warns that Brazil may lose ground in foreign markets while the crisis goes unanswered.