Brazil has been rattled by several corruption scandals in recent decades, leading to a legitimacy crisis in the political system. At the same time, the country’s news media are playing a central role in framing alleged norm transgressions as scandalous. Despite the significance of visual elements in news reporting on scandals, research has predominantly focused on textual components. Addressing this gap with this study, a visual framing analysis was conducted of front-page pictures published during the peak of the so-called Lava Jato scandal in 2016 by Brazil’s leading newspapers, O Globo and Folha de São Paulo. The analysis reveals that the raw emotions of politicians central to the scandal, such as anger and fear, are frequently emphasized. They are often framed with negative personality traits, such as weakness or anxiety. Furthermore, evidence of a bias in visual framing underscores the role of the media as actors trying to shape public discourse along their political agenda. This study contributes to understanding how Brazilian media use visuals to manage political reputations, framing scandals as key elements of public agenda-setting.