WhatsApp message exchanges from October 2022 reveal how aides to justice Alexandre de Moraes, then president of Brazil’s Superior Electoral Court (TSE), targeted congresswoman Carla Zambelli (Liberal Party, São Paulo). The content, exclusively obtained by Oeste, exposes an environment of hostility against the congresswoman, who has been detained in Italy since July 22nd of this year and is currently facing legal actions in the Supreme Federal Court (STF).
On October 10th, Eduardo Tagliaferro, then head of the TSE’s Special Unit for Combating Disinformation, shared a link to a video Zambelli had posted on Facebook in a WhatsApp group. The material is currently offline.
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“She’s really going hard now,” Tagliaferro wrote, before adding that he would save the post on the Verifact website to prevent it from being lost.
The message immediately provoked a reaction from Marco Antônio Vargas, Moraes’ auxiliary judge at the TSE and the individual responsible for the Court’s legal and procedural matters during the justice’s presidency. “Good!” he exclaimed. “This post is perfect for screwing this woman over.” The comment was celebrated by Airton Vieira, Moraes’ aide at the STF, who responded with an applause emoji.
Nine days later, on October 19th of that year, Zambelli once again became the topic of discussion. On that occasion, Vargas shared a video the congresswoman had posted on Instagram. “What is absurd is that idiot saying she’s proud of her mother,” he commented, referring to a recording where the congresswoman pays tribute to her mother. Tagliaferro responded sarcastically: “Let’s prepare a surprise for her certification ceremony, lol. I’m documenting everything.”
On the same date, aide Airton Vieira wrote: “Today the justice said he would sign off on blocking her account.”
Carla Zambelli remains in Moraes’ crosshairs
Two years after these exchanges, Carla Zambelli remains at the epicenter of Brazil’s political and judicial arena. An ally of former president Jair Bolsonaro, the congresswoman is currently subject to multiple STF investigations related to an alleged digital militia, the January 8 acts, and the dissemination of content classified as disinformation. Moraes, currently one of Zambelli’s primary critics, was also responsible for authorizing searches and imposing measures against the congresswoman.
Why the operation against the congresswoman is illegal
- STF cannot issue orders to the TSE
The Supreme Court does not exert hierarchical power over the Electoral Justice. Using TSE servers and structures for censorship and repression purposes exceeds constitutional competencies and constitutes a misuse of TSE’s mandate. - Usurpation of authority
The STF usurped investigative and prosecutorial functions, which legally belong to the Federal Police and the Public Prosecutor’s Office. A judge cannot investigate and judge simultaneously. - Lack of due process
The orders originated from private conversations in WhatsApp groups, without adversarial proceedings or ample defense, which flouts Article 5 of the Constitution. - Biased judge
Airton Vieira and other advisors anticipated the intended outcome (blocking), thus compromising the impartiality that the law demands of a magistrate. - Misuse of TSE’s mandate
The Electoral Superior Court’s disinformation unit was used outside the electoral period and for criminal purposes, far exceeding its legal competence.
What is “Vaza Toga”?
The information and documents revealed in this report, exclusively obtained by Oeste, add grave new details to the facts that began to surface with the revelations initially published by the newspaper Folha de S. Paulo in what became known as “Vaza Toga” (something like “Robe Leaks”).
The first allegations were made by Glenn Greenwald and Fábio Serapião, as previously reported by Oeste.
New compromising documents have since come to light through investigations by David Ágape and Eli Vieira, published on the Public website.
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