Federal Police Director-General Andrei Rodrigues, left, applauds with Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, right, and Justice Minister Wellington Cesar during Independence Day celebrations in Brasilia, Brazil, Monday, Sept. 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)

SAO PAULO (AP) — Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Flávio Dino restored two senior police officials to their posts on Wednesday, overruling a fellow justice and escalating a power struggle inside the country's highest court.

The rift between Supreme Court judges perceived as occupying opposing ends of Brazil's political spectrum is emerging as a major issue ahead of next month's presidential election, in which President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva could face off against Sen. Flávio Bolsonaro, the eldest son of former President Jair Bolsonaro, in the second round.

Dino, a former justice minister who was appointed by Lula to the top court, reversed a decision made Tuesday by fellow Supreme Court Justice André Mendonca to remove federal police Director-General Andrei Rodrigues and the force's intelligence director, Leandro Almada, for allegedly leading illegal investigations against Mendonca.

Dino contended that Mendonca, who was picked by former President Bolsonaro, cannot use his disagreements with the force to remove the two police officers “for his own cause, aiming to stop investigations and police work.”

At the heart of the crisis is fallout from the collapse of Banco Master, which Lula called “the greatest financial crime in Brazil’s history” in a post on Wednesday.

“Greater transparency is necessary, not selective leaks that impact the electoral dispute," Lula said. “It is urgent to fully break the secrecy of the investigations of all those involved in the Master case, whoever they may be, no matter who it hurts. Brazil needs to know the truth.”

Lula allies have accused Mendonca of stalling federal police investigations that hit opposition presidential candidate Sen. Flávio Bolsonaro, while speeding up others that impact the president’s inner circle. Mendonca has denied such claims of bias.

Dino added his decision should only be reviewed by the full court, currently formed of 10 justices.

Mendonca chairs two sensitive investigations as Lula prepares to face Sen. Bolsonaro in his reelection bid in October's national elections. One investigation centers on Banco Master, which has ensnared several politicians, and the other looks at alleged frauds in Brazil’s pension system.

The first has hit mostly figures of the country’s opposition, while the latter has raised questions of wrongdoing by one of Lula’s sons.

Mendonca has also been embroiled in a public spat with fellow justice Alexandre de Moraes, who last year was the rapporteur of the case which saw Jair Bolsonaro sentenced to 27 years in prison.

Mendonca recently unsealed federal police documents that showed that Banco Master owner Daniel Vorcaro frequently sought de Moraes’ legal advice before his arrest.

De Moraes previously denied wrongdoing in the case, but he has faced pressure to resign since investigations showed his wife provided legal services to Banco Master as part of a 130 million reais ($25 million) contract. De Moraes is yet to make public comments about the case.

Flávio Bolsonaro criticized Dino's decision to reinstate the senior police officials Wednesday at a campaign rally in the city of Juiz de Fora in Minas Gerais state. His father was stabbed at a similar event in the same city eight years ago, weeks before winning the 2018 election.

“Everyone can see that (Dino) isn't judging a case but defending a cause, which is Lula's,” Flávio Bolsonaro said. “It's clear that it's to interfere in the elections.”

The crisis at Brazil's Supreme Court loomed large at a political rally in Sao Paulo called by Flávio Bolsonaro to mark Sept. 7, Brazil’s Independence Day. His supporters called for de Moraes' impeachment, carried signs depicting the justice behind bars and displayed placards supporting Mendonca.

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Hughes reported from Rio de Janeiro.

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