São Paulo, May 29, 2026—The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns the reported harassment of Intercept Brasil journalists in connection with the outlet’s reporting on former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro and sons Flávio Bolsonaro and Eduardo Bolsonaro’s connections to jailed Brazilian banker Daniel Vorcaro.
“Silencing critical reporting—and attempting to scapegoat the journalists behind it—is no substitute for accountability,” said Cristina Zahar, CPJ Latin America program coordinator. “The conduct of the Bolsonaro family, whose members are current and former public officials, is a matter of public interest and they must be held accountable.”
Brazilian Congressman Hélio Lopes—an ally of senator and current presidential candidate Flávio Bolsonaro—asked the Supreme Court and the Superior Electoral Court to open a criminal investigation into Intercept Brasil’s reporting. The media outlet told CPJ that it has not yet been notified of any developments.
Steven Monacelli, a Dallas-based freelance reporter, said he also faced threats as well as online harassment after he attempted to get comment from Eduardo Bolsonaro, who is currently residing in Texas, according to reports. After Monacelli rang his doorbell, Bolsonaro called the local Southlake police and recorded a social media video in which he said that “people in Texas have firearms at home.”
“About two hours [after I rang Bolsonaro’s doorbell], I saw my face all over Brazilian right-wing social media,” Monacelli told CPJ.
CPJ contacted the Southlake police who declined to comment on the incident.
“There was a coordinated effort to discredit the investigation involving baseless accusations, false links between journalism and organized crime, distortions of reports and the mobilization of pro-Bolsonaro accounts and pages to spread misinformation,” Andrew Fishman, Intercept Brasil’s president, told CPJ.The Brazilian Association of Investigative Journalism and the National Federation of Journalists published letters repudiating Flávio Bolsonaro’s harassment against Intercept Brasil.