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Brazil justice minister Moro quits in Bolsonaro clash Sergio Moro: Brazil's popular justice minister quits in Bolsonaro clash
(about 5 hours later)
Brazil's Justice Minister Sergio Moro has resigned amid tension with President Jair Bolsonaro. Brazil's popular justice minister has resigned from President Jair Bolsonaro's government, accusing him of political interference.
Mr Moro, a former judge, had threatened to quit after the president fired one of his allies - federal police chief Mauricio Valeixo - on Thursday. Sergio Moro, a former judge who oversaw the country's biggest anti-corruption probe, quit after the president fired the federal police chief, his ally.
Speaking on TV, Mr Moro said angrily there was no reason to sack Mr Valeixo, and called it political interference. Mr Moro said Mr Bolsonaro demanded someone who would provide him with direct intelligence.
Mr Moro is one of the president's most popular ministers. He oversaw Brazil's biggest-ever anti-corruption probe. Speaking on TV, the president said the allegations were "baseless".
Mr Valeixo's dismissal was announced, with no further details, in the official gazette. But Brazil's public prosecutor Augusto Aras asked the Supreme Court to allow an investigation into Mr Moro's allegations against the president.
Mr Moro had threatened to resign if Mr Valeixo were dismissed, but then said he would stay if he were allowed to choose a replacement. The dismissal of federal police chief Mauricio Valeixo was announced, with no further details, in the official gazette on Friday.
Brazil's currency - the real - sank to a record low of 5.50 per dollar on Thursday, amid the political uncertainty. On Thursday, Mr Moro had threatened to resign if Mr Valeixo were dismissed, but then said he would stay if he were allowed to choose a replacement.
In mid-April the right-wing president sacked his health minister, Luiz Henrique Mandetta, for his response to the coronavirus pandemic. The minister had advocated social distancing, which Mr Bolsonaro has scorned. In mid-April the far-right president sacked his health minister, Luiz Henrique Mandetta, for his response to the coronavirus pandemic. The minister had advocated social distancing, which Mr Bolsonaro has scorned.
Fighting corruption was a central issue for Jair Bolsonaro in his 2018 presidential campaign.Fighting corruption was a central issue for Jair Bolsonaro in his 2018 presidential campaign.
The BBC's South America correspondent Katy Watson says Mr Moro made a damning speech, accusing President Bolsonaro of meddling in federal police efforts to fight corruption. Mr Moro's speech accused President Bolsonaro of meddling in federal police efforts to fight corruption.
After announcing his resignation the sound of pot-banging protests rang out in cities across Brazil. The sound of pot-banging protests rang out in cities across Brazil after his resignation was announced.
Seen as an anti-corruption crusader, he was a star pick when Mr Bolsonaro asked him to join the government. Seen as an anti-corruption crusader, Mr Moro was a star pick when Mr Bolsonaro asked him to join the government.
Earlier Mr Moro oversaw a huge corruption probe which exposed billions of dollars in bribes and ended in the jailing of many powerful businessmen and politicians, including leftist former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. Earlier Mr Moro oversaw a huge corruption probe known as Operation Car Wash, which exposed billions of dollars in bribes and ended in the jailing of many powerful businessmen and politicians, including leftist former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.
BBC Americas editor Candace Piette says Mr Moro's accusations against President Bolsonaro have thrown Brazil into an institutional crisis. He once said he "would never enter politics", but later agreed to serve in Mr Bolsonaro's cabinet in order to fight corruption and organised crime.
He accused the president of trying to remove the federal police chief for no other reason than to secure intelligence on police investigations. He was promised full autonomy for his department, which united the justice and public security portfolios in a so-called "super ministry".
Mr Moro also said President Bolsonaro had expressed concerns about supreme court investigations, without specifying which had caused concern. Blow to the Bolsonaro government
The court is currently investigating the activities of the president's sons. It has also opened an inquiry into the possible financing of last week's anti-democracy protests by supporters of the president. Both charges could further damage an already unpopular president, Candace Piette reports. The departure of Jair Bolsonaro's most popular minister is a blow to his government - Sergio Moro was a star minister. He was seen by his supporters as an anti-corruption crusader after his role in Operation Car Wash.
Mr Moro once said he "would never enter politics", but later agreed to serve in Mr Bolsonaro's cabinet, in order to fight corruption and organised crime. It is a departure that Jair Bolsonaro has clearly taken personally too, judging by his 45-minute television address on Friday afternoon. He recounted being snubbed by Mr Moro at the airport a few years ago, and accused him of not caring enough after he was stabbed during the campaign in 2018.
He was promised full autonomy for his department, which united the justice and public security portfolio in a so-called "super ministry". There is no doubt Mr Bolsonaro looks weaker now than ever - the events of Friday mark one of the most dramatic days in Brazilian politics in recent years.
Many are wondering who will be next - will the likes of Paulo Guedes, his economy minister and another star member of the cabinet, remain loyal or jump to save his reputation? All this drama is distracting from a more urgent crisis - the number of coronavirus cases and deaths are rising ever faster each and every day.