Tag: lula

Lula to cease World Cup TV comments over election rules

BRASILIA, Brazil (AFP)–Jailed former Brazil president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has decided to cease commenting on the World Cup for Brazilian television to avoid breaking election rules. The 72-year-old leftist politician was the front-runner for October’s presidential elections until his incarceration in April after being convicted of accepting a bribe from Brazilian construction company OAS. “In order to comply with the electoral legislation, which prohibits pre-candidates from participating in radio and TV programs from […]

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Brazil homeless group occupies apartment in Lula corruption case

  GUARUJA, Brazil (AFP) — A group of homelessness activists briefly occupied Monday the seaside apartment at the heart of the corruption case that saw ex-president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva imprisoned earlier this month. About 30 members of the Homeless Workers’ Movement and other leftist activists got into the triplex apartment in Guaruja, near Sao Paulo, hanging placards from the balcony in support of Lula. “Release Lula or there’ll be no peace,” they shouted. Lula […]

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Imprisoned Lula is still ‘our candidate,’ his party says

CURITIBA, Brazil (AFP) — Former president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, imprisoned since the weekend on a corruption conviction, will still be the Workers’ Party candidate in Brazil’s October presidential election, party leaders said Monday. “He is our candidate no matter the circumstances,” party chief Gleisi Hoffmann said outside the police station in the southern city of Curitiba where Lula is locked up. The leftwing ex-president, 72, handed himself into police on Saturday, a day […]

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Brazil’s Lula surrenders to police: Globo TV

  SAO BERNARDO DO CAMPO, Brazil (AFP) — Brazil’s former president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva surrendered to police Saturday to start serving a 12-year sentence for corruption, Globo television reported. Lula was able to walk out of the metalworkers’ union building near Sao Paulo where he had spent two days holed up, and was taken away in a convoy of black police cars. An earlier attempt to leave by car had been blocked by […]

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Brazil’s Lula negotiates after arrest deadline passes

  by Carola Sole with Sebastian Smith in Rio de Janeiro © Agence France-Presse SAO BERNARDO DO CAMPO, Brazil (AFP) — Ex-president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Brazil’s polarizing election frontrunner and leftist icon, was negotiating his surrender after dramatically skipping a first deadline Friday to start his 12-year prison sentence for corruption. Holed up with thousands of cheering supporters in the metalworkers’ union building in his hometown of Sao Bernardo do Campo, near Sao Paulo, […]

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Brazil’s Lula given 24 hours to start prison sentence

by Paula Ramon  © Agence France-Presse SAO PAULO, Brazil (AFP) — Brazil’s former president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, once one of the most popular politicians on the planet, was given 24 hours to surrender to police Thursday and start a 12 year prison sentence for corruption. The order from Judge Sergio Moro, head of Brazil’s huge “Car Wash” anti-graft probe, came as a complete surprise given that lawyers had earlier said the leftist former two-term […]

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Brazil’s Lula closer to prison after Supreme Court votes

by Damian Wroclavsky with Sebastian Smith in Rio de Janeiro © Agence France-Presse BRASILIA, Brazil (AFP) — Brazil’s former president and current election frontrunner Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva looked increasingly likely to face prison Wednesday after a key judge on the divided Supreme Court voted against allowing him to delay a sentence for corruption. After more than five hours of deliberations, the Supreme Court justices had voted 5-1 in favor of denying Lula his request […]

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Tensions run high ahead of Brazil court’s ruling on Lula prison

by Damian Wroclavsky with Sebastian Smith in Rio de Janeiro © Agence France-Presse BRASILIA, Brazil (AFP) — Tensions ran high Tuesday in Brazil ahead of a Supreme Court ruling on whether former president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva should start a 12-year prison sentence for corruption, potentially upending this year’s presidential election. The court showdown scheduled for Wednesday has become a focal point for Brazil’s deeply divided electorate ahead of the October polls, in which Lula […]

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Brazil court rejects Lula’s latest appeal

by Sebastian Smith Agence France-Presse RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil – A Brazilian court on Monday rejected former president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva’s latest appeal against a corruption conviction that could see him imprisoned for 12 years, and doom a bid to return to power in October elections. The three judges at the lower appeals court in Porto Alegre unanimously turned down Lula’s appeal, which had been made on technical grounds, of his conviction and […]

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Defiant Lula faces key court decision in Brazil

by Damian WROCLAVSKY Agence France-Presse BRASILIA, Brazil – Brazil’s top court convened Thursday to rule on whether former president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva should face jail if he loses an appeal next week or if he can pursue other legal remedies. A court in Porto Alegre is to give its verdict on Monday on Lula’s appeal against a 12-year jail sentence for money laundering and corruption. But first, the Federal Supreme Court — sitting […]

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Lula risks jail in coming weeks after Brazil court ruling

BRASILIA, Brazil (AFP) – A top Brazilian court Tuesday rejected a bid by former president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva to stave off prison, ruling he can be arrested if his 12 year jail sentence is upheld on appeal. The Superior Court of Justice rejected Lula’s habeas corpus petition in a unanimous ruling that sharply raises the risk of prison on corruption charges and money-laundering for the popular leftist leader. The ruling further complicates the 72-year-old’s bid to run […]

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Allies rally around Lula after corruption conviction

SAO PAULO, Brazil (Reuters) — Former Brazilian leader Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva emerged from the Sao Paulo residence of his Lula Institute on Thursday (July 12), with allies rallying around the ex-president to profess what he said was his innocence. The ruling marked a stunning fall for Lula, one of the country’s most popular politicians, and a serious blow to his chances of a political comeback. The former union leader, who won global praise […]

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