Editorial translation; the original Portuguese version prevails in case of discrepancy.
Mendonça vote endorses 25/9; Erika still lacks full text
Mendonça’s vote is the joint endorsement of the 25/9 decisions in Representação 0602260-84. The official full text of the specific decision on Erika Hilton was not located.
Analysis
The vote located at the TSE is a joint endorsement of the two September 25 decisions in Representação 0602260-84, one about Antonio Tabet's publication and another about mass reposts of the same factual core. It confirms Mendonça's thesis to maintain removals of that core, but does not mention Erika Hilton or bring the full text of the September 29 decision that coverage said had released a specific post. Dino's official STF decision of September 30 requests Federal Police investigations into attacks on religious images within Reclamação 95.295. The newsroom did not locate a Federal Police note or an open official TSE docket with case 0602260-84; the TSE virtual plenary returned a 403 block.
Claim reviewed: Headlines on 29/09 said Mendonça released a post by Erika Hilton; on 30/09, headlines said he voted to maintain the removal of publications about Nossa Senhora Aparecida.
| Label | Count | Percent |
|---|---|---|
| Confirmed | 4 | 33.3% |
| Partial | 3 | 25% |
| Omitted | 0 | 0% |
| Contradicts | 0 | 0% |
| Not verifiable | 5 | 41.7% |
What we know
- The vote located at the TSE is titled “Referendo na Representação nº 0602260-84.2026.6.00.0000 (PJe)” and has André Mendonça as rapporteur [1].
- The vote reports a first decision of 25/09, ID 179579044, which ordered removal of Antonio Tabet's publication and a fine of R$ 30 thousand per act of noncompliance [1].
- The vote reports a complementary decision of 25/09, ID 179583699, which defined as notoriously untrue the factual core about removing the title of Padroeira do Brasil and set a fine of R$ 50 thousand per day, per provider [1].
- The vote's conclusion is for joint endorsement of the two 25/09 decisions [1].
- The vote does not mention Erika Hilton; the official full text of the 29/09 decision on her publication was not located [1].
- Dino's STF decision of 30/09 was signed in Reclamação 95.295 and requested investigations, including through a police inquiry [2].
- The official STF movement records on 30/09 the preparation of two electronic letters and a monocratic decision [3].
- DJe/TSE n. 172 records the 14th Sessão Virtual Extraordinária from 30/09 to 02/10/2026, but the textual search did not find Representação 0602260-84 in it [4].
What we don't know yet
- We did not locate the official full text of the 29/09 decision that coverage attributed to Mendonça about Erika Hilton's publication.
- We did not locate a public TSE docket, machine-open, identifying Representação 0602260-84 in the virtual session begun on 30/09.
- We did not locate a Federal Police note giving number, filing or status of the inquiry requested by Dino.
- We did not verify the final result of the TSE virtual judgment; at the time of the articles read, only the rapporteur's vote was available.
The new TSE document does not, by itself, resolve the contradiction between “liberou” and “vota para manter”. André Mendonça's vote on September 30 is an endorsement in Representação 0602260-84.2026.6.00.0000, with Antonio Pedro Osorio Tabet as respondent [1].
In that vote, Mendonça proposes endorsing two September 25 decisions: the first removed Tabet's publication; the second addressed mass replication of the same factual core [1]. Erika Hilton does not appear in the text of the located vote.
What the vote decided
Por essas razões, voto pelo referendo conjunto das duas decisões proferidas nestes autos, por seus próprios fundamentos e pelas razões ora acrescidas.TSE, André Mendonça vote, 30/09/2026 [1]
The vote also delimits the order's reach. It says the decision does not authorize a thematic ban, does not suspend profiles and does not reach criticism or opinions that do not reproduce the delimited factual core [1].
não constituem censura prévia; não autorizam proibição temática; não importam suspensão de perfis, contas ou canais; não alcançam críticas ou opiniões que não reproduzam o núcleo factual delimitadoTSE, André Mendonça vote, 30/09/2026 [1]
Erika's post is another point
The September 29 articles said Mendonça excluded a specific Erika Hilton publication from the order. The official full text of that act was not located in this investigation, and the September 30 vote does not mention it.
The documentary difference is relevant. “Vota para manter” refers to endorsement of the two September 25 decisions. “Liberou” was attributed by coverage to a specific September 29 decision on a specific publication. With the documents available today, there is no proven contradiction between identical objects.
Dino's decision on the Federal Police
At the STF, Flávio Dino's official decision of September 30 came in Reclamação 95.295. It cites news of attacks on religious images, mentions the September 27 decision and requests investigations, including through a police inquiry [2].
determino que sejam extraídas cópias da decisão do dia 27 de setembro de 2026 (eDOC nº 58, ID: 97c5afe7), sobre liberdade religiosa, bem como deste despachoSTF, Flávio Dino decision, 30/09/2026 [2]
a fim de que se procedam às investigações cabíveis, inclusive mediante Inquérito Policial, ora requisitadoSTF, Flávio Dino decision, 30/09/2026 [2]
The official STF movement records, on the same day, the preparation of two electronic letters and conversion of the case into diligence by monocratic decision [3]. The Federal Police September news page was consulted, but the newsroom did not locate a Federal Police note on this inquiry.
The official TSE docket still has a gap
Diário do TSE n. 172 confirms the 14th Sessão Virtual Extraordinária from September 30 to October 2. The textual search in the downloaded diary did not find Representação 0602260-84, and the virtual plenary portal returned access denied [4].
The pieces published on September 27 and in the early hours of September 30 do not need documentary correction because of what has now been located. They do need an update note: there is now an endorsement vote at the TSE, but the specific decision on Erika still has no official full text located.
Inconsistencies found
Where the versions disagree with each other or with the document. The severity rating is the Newsroom's; readers can check it through the links.
“Recuou/liberou” on day 29 versus “vota para manter” on day 30 Medium
Agência Brasil (Said Mendonça released a specific Erika Hilton post on 29/09.) · CNN Brasil (On 30/09 said Mendonça voted to maintain the decision removing publications.)
The document says: The 30/09 vote is the joint endorsement of the two 25/09 decisions in Representação 0602260-84 and does not mention Erika Hilton. The 29/09 decision on Erika was not located. [D1]
The case was on the docket in the TSE virtual plenary Medium
BBC News Brasil (Said the TSE virtual plenary would judge the case until 23h59.) · DJE/TSE n. 172 (Confirms the 14th Sessão Virtual Extraordinária from 30/09 to 02/10, but the textual search did not find Rp 0602260-84.)
The document says: The diary confirms the virtual session, but we did not locate case 0602260-84 in it; the virtual plenary portal returned 403. [D4]
Dino’s decision came “after” the religious issue entered the electoral agenda Medium
Folha de S.Paulo (The RSS headline links the inquiry request to Nossa Senhora having become an electoral issue.) · STF (The decision says news reached the chambers after the 27/09 decision and cites cases reported in previous months.)
The document says: Dino writes that the news reached him after his 27/09 decision; the episodes cited include earlier cases and the order does not attribute electoral causality to the attacks. [D2]
How each article covered it (12 read)
| Outlet | Country | Date | Label | What it reported | What was missing or contradicts | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Agência Brasil | Brasil | 29/09/2026 | Not verifiable | Stated that Mendonça accepted Erika Hilton's appeal and released a specific publication. | It did not bring a link to the official full text of the 29/09 decision, and the newsroom did not locate an official primary document to check the central claim. | Access or location failure does not prove absence of the act; in this investigation, however, the specific decision remains without verifiable primary comparison. |
| CNN Brasil | Brasil | 29/09/2026 | Not verifiable | Stated that Mendonça partly reconsidered the order and ordered not to remove or to restore Erika Hilton's publication. | It did not bring a link to the official full text of the specific 29/09 decision, and the newsroom did not locate an official primary document to check the central claim. | The text helps separate the specific release from the rest of the order, but primary comparison does not close without the official full text of the act. |
| Folha de S.Paulo | Brasil | 30/09/2026 | Not verifiable | The RSS headline says Mendonça voted to maintain the removal of publications and denied censorship. The text was not accessible to the newsroom. | Without text read, it was not possible to check whether the article separated the 30/09 vote from the specific decision attributed to 29/09 about Erika. | HTTP 200 with paywall; Wayback CDX timed out without response. |
| CNN Brasil | Brasil | 30/09/2026 | Partial | Reported that Mendonça voted to maintain the decision, denied censorship and delimited the reach of removals. | It did not bring a link to the vote or separate, in the headline, the endorsement vote from the specific decision attributed to 29/09 about Erika. | The text read cites excerpts compatible with the located vote. |
| BBC News Brasil | Brasil | 30/09/2026 | Partial | Explained that the TSE was judging in virtual plenary whether to confirm Mendonça's decision and brought the excerpt from the vote on limits of the order. | It did not bring the full vote or the gap about the specific Erika decision. | The text records that the other justices could vote until 23h59; the newsroom did not locate an open official docket with the case. |
| Valor Econômico | Brasil | 30/09/2026 | Not verifiable | The RSS headline says Mendonça opened the judgment with a vote to maintain the decision that removed publications. The text was not accessible. | It was not possible to check body text, documents cited or distinction between the vote and the decision about Erika. | HTTP 200 with paywall; Wayback CDX timed out. |
| CNN Brasil | Brasil | 30/09/2026 | Confirmed | Reported that Dino sent a request to the PGR and Federal Police and ordered investigation by inquiry into attacks on religious images. | It did not bring the official STF movement or any Federal Police note. | The core of the article is confirmed by Dino's official decision. |
| Exame | Brasil | 30/09/2026 | Confirmed | Reported the request for an inquiry, the types of crimes mentioned and the cases of Catholic and Afro-Brazilian religious images. | It did not bring the official movement or a Federal Police note. | The decision cites cases in several states and lists the crimes in theory. |
| Folha de S.Paulo | Brasil | 30/09/2026 | Not verifiable | The RSS headline says Dino requested an inquiry after the religious issue entered the electoral agenda. The text was not accessible. | Without text read, it was not possible to evaluate the temporal relation suggested in the headline. | HTTP 200 with paywall; Wayback CDX had no HTML 200 capture. |
| Poder360 | Brasil | 30/09/2026 | Confirmed | Published the link to the full vote and summarized that Mendonça denied censorship and religious curtailment. | It did not address the Erika decision or the official TSE docket. | The PDF downloaded from the page is document D1. |
| Poder360 | Brasil | 30/09/2026 | Confirmed | Published the link to the full Dino decision and summarized the sending to the PGR and Federal Police. | It did not bring a Federal Police note, nonexistent or not located in this investigation. | The PDF downloaded from the page has the same hash as the file obtained on the STF portal. |
| SBT News | Brasil | 30/09/2026 | Partial | Reported that Dino requested an inquiry and cited episodes in several states. | Included an assessment of crisis and background without a primary document located in this investigation. | The documentary core about the inquiry request is confirmed. |
The labels describe the article on this topic and this date; they do not describe the outlet.
How it was covered in Brazil, Latin America and the world
Brazil
Brazilian coverage split into two axes: Mendonça’s vote at the TSE and Dino’s decision at the STF. The documents confirm the core of both axes, but leave one gap: the specific decision on Erika Hilton was not officially located.
Latin America
We did not locate specific Latin American coverage of the 30/09 vote at the TSE or Dino’s order on attacks against religious images. The investigation remained focused on Brazilian documents.
World
We did not locate specific international coverage of these two acts of 30/09. BBC News Brasil is a Portuguese-language publication aimed at the Brazilian public and was treated here as national coverage.
Differences that matter
- Outlets with access to the vote correctly reported the endorsement of the 25/09 decisions.
- The articles about Erika help explain that there would be a specific decision, but they do not replace the official document not located.
- The articles about Dino confirm the inquiry request, but not all distinguish the cases cited in the order from the electoral controversy.
- No source read brought a Federal Police note with an inquiry number.
How we verified it and how it was reviewed
We read 14 journalistic items or outlet pages on the two subjects, including CNN Brasil, BBC News Brasil, Exame, SBT News, Poder360, Agência Brasil and the headlines from Folha, Valor, G1 and UOL when the text did not open. We opened four primary documents: Mendonça's vote, Dino's official decision, the official movement of Reclamação 95.295 at the STF and DJe/TSE n. 172. The TSE virtual plenary returned HTTP 403, the PJe public search displayed an automated challenge, and the Federal Police September news page did not bring a located note. We queried Wayback; for several URLs, the CDX query returned empty, temporary error or timeout.
Technical check
On 2026-09-30 13:28: 15 of 16 links responded; 4 of 4 cited excerpts were found on the accessible pages; the rest were checked by reading. Links that don't respond to automated requests are noted in the sources.
Reviewer A · viewpoint: defending the outlet and the subject of the story
Approvable with change: the investigation is fair, but the headline needed to lead with the documented finding, not with the gap about Erika.
- Objection: The headline “Voto no TSE não traz a íntegra da decisão sobre Erika” hid that the located vote is a joint endorsement of the 25/9 decisions and does not mention Erika Hilton. Decision: Accepted. The title began to state the finding: “Voto de Mendonça referenda 25/9; Erika segue sem íntegra”. Evidence checked in the local PDF: “voto pelo referendo conjunto das duas decisões” and search for Erika/Hilton with zero occurrence.
Reviewer B · viewpoint: defending the reader and the document
Approved with adjustments: the piece separates the acts; the title was reinforced and the 29/9 articles about Erika were reclassified because the specific decision was not located in a primary source.
- Objection: The title understated that the 30/9 vote has another object: endorsement of the 25/9 decisions in Tabet's case. Decision: Accepted. Title and short title were changed to state the object of the vote and the gap in the decision about Erika.
- Objection: Agência Brasil and CNN Brasil of 29/9 were marked Partial, although the central claim depends on the official full text of the decision about Erika, not located. Decision: Accepted. Both entries became “Não verificável”, with note that location failure does not prove absence of the act.
Automatic review recorded on September 30, 2026: schema, technical checking of documents, two reviewers with opposing viewpoints and language check.
Method: automatic investigation with search for primary documents. Status: automatically reviewed on 2026-09-30.
Reporting diary: every attempt, including the ones that failed
| When | Claim | Attempt | Source searched | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-09-30T12:20 | context | Full reading of the project rules, the two previous pieces and the 30/09 radar. | local Revalida files | Found |
| 2026-09-30T12:21 | coverage | Capture of the articles from radar topics 0 and 1 with scripts/materias.py. | BBC, CNN, Exame, Folha and Valor | Partial |
| 2026-09-30T12:24 | A1 | Web search for the full text of André Mendonça’s vote at the TSE. | Poder360 and search engine | Found |
| 2026-09-30T12:25 | A1 | Download and extraction of the PDF of Mendonça’s vote. | static.poder360.com.br | Found |
| 2026-09-30T12:25 | A6 | Web search for the full text of Dino’s decision on attacks against religious images. | Poder360 and STF portal | Found |
| 2026-09-30T12:30 | A6 | Download of the official PDF of Dino’s decision through the case-file link in the STF movement. | portal.stf.jus.br/processos/downloadPeca.asp | Found |
| 2026-09-30T12:30 | A7 | Browser capture of the movements tab for Reclamação 95.295. | portal.stf.jus.br/processos/abaAndamentos.asp | Found |
| 2026-09-30T12:31 | TSE docket | Opening the TSE virtual plenary by HTTP and isolated browser. | plenario-virtual.tse.jus.br/atas | Not found |
| 2026-09-30T12:27 | TSE docket | Download of DJe/TSE n. 172 and search for 0602260, Tabet, Nossa Senhora and Padroeira. | dje-rest.tse.jus.br | Partial |
| 2026-09-30T12:27 | TSE docket | Attempt to download DJe/TSE n. 173 and n. 174. | dje-rest.tse.jus.br | Not found |
| 2026-09-30T12:36 | A8 | Web search and capture of articles about the 29/09 decision attributed to Mendonça in the Erika Hilton case. | Agência Brasil, CNN Brasil, G1 | Partial |
| 2026-09-30T12:38 | Federal Police | Search for an official Federal Police note in September and directed search for Dino, images and religious. | gov.br/pf and web search | Not found |
| 2026-09-30T12:41 | Wayback | CDX query for main articles and documents, with limited time. | web.archive.org/cdx | Partial |
Timeline
Sources
- Referendo na Representação nº 0602260-84.2026.6.00.0000 (PJe) - Brasília - Distrito Federal“voto pelo referendo conjunto das duas decisões proferidas nestes autos”sha256: c556e4bbec3c12a053bd316e74dbd07e6565d888214d275853bcff3f95e4e5cd
- Decisão na Reclamação 95.295/PR sobre ataques a imagens religiosas“a fim de que se procedam às investigações cabíveis, inclusive mediante Inquérito Policial, ora requisitado”sha256: 9b2a2e2a2f2622722dfe9f880ef85ac65dcb981038a9356c9ad1ed7a0c0c47d0
- abaAndamentos.asp?incidente=7602614“Certifico a elaboração de 2 ofÃcios eletrônicos. Decisão de 30.9.2026.”sha256: 4e0df96b4b9fd1bb8fbc4a0440830f53dc1d6b90b7df67bb5c5cff693309f535
- Diário da Justiça Eletrônico do Tribunal Superior Eleitoral (DJE/TSE) - Ano 2026 - n. 172“14ª Sessão Virtual Extraordinária de 30.09 a 02.10.2026”sha256: 6e586733a3762cf6828db45f082186d334c66bec856ba24e00752ffecb97080b
Right of reply
No response received so far. People and organizations named can respond through the contact page; the response is published here in full.
Version history
- Version 1 · 2026-09-30 · Piece created from radar topics 0 and 1, 14 journalistic items and 4 primary documents.
- Version 2 · 2026-09-30 · A/B review of 30/09 applied: headline began to state the documentary finding and 29/09 articles about Erika were reclassified as Not verifiable for lack of the official full text.
- Version 3 · 2026-09-30 · Automatic review recorded: schema, technical check, two reviewers and language approved.