Would it be appropriate – or not – for Viviane Barci, the wife of Minister Alexandre de Moraes, to publicly explain the value and services provided as a lawyer to the disappeared Banco Master?
The contract was worth 129 million reais. The amount would be paid in 36 months, starting at the beginning of 2024. In other words: the bank would pay R$3.6 million per month to the Barci de Moraes Advogados law firm.
Master was liquidated by the Central Bank in November 2025 due to a severe liquidity crisis, management problems and fundraising fraud.
The bank’s business model was to raise funds at high rates, supported by court rulings and tax credits, but whose liquidity was questionable or even nonexistent.
There was non-compliance with Central Bank rules and violations of the rules that govern the banking sector, in addition to management considered problematic and imprudent.
Did the office run by Viviane violate any laws when signing the contract with the Master? None. The purpose of the contract was not to act on a specific cause.
Furthermore, according to a note distributed by the minister, his wife’s office, where two of his three children work, did not participate in the Master’s liquidation process.
As the wife of a minister of a higher jurisdiction, does Viviane not have the right to plead in actions likely to be brought before the Federal Court? No, it’s not prohibited.
It turns out that “financial market sources” informed the newspapers that Moraes spoke by telephone and in person with the president of the Central Bank about the liquidation of Master.
In two notes, Moraes denied what was attributed to him. In a note, the president of the Central Bank also denied this. Did any concrete evidence emerge from the conversation between the two? So far, no.
They said the amount Viviane and her associates charge to represent Master in legal actions far exceeds the amount charged by other law firms.
If it’s true, so what? The lawyer charges what he wants. Pay who can or wants. For now, it’s just a speculation that Viviani’s asking price is because she’s his wife.
“There are more things in heaven and earth than vain philosophy supposes” is a famous quote from William Shakespeare, said by Hamlet to his friend Horatio in the play Hamlet, Prince of Denmark.
This means that reality contains mysteries and phenomena that human reason and philosophical knowledge cannot fully explain or encompass.
In any case, Minister Edson Fachin, current president of the Federal Supreme Court, is right to defend the creation of a code of conduct to regulate the activities of his peers.
“Caesar’s wife is not enough to be honest, she must appear honest.” The same penalty applies to judges and authorities who hold public office, whether elective or not.
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