Update: Al Jazeera reports that Brazil’s former President Luiz Inacio “Lula” da Silva handed himself over to police to begin a 12-year prison sentence for corruption. Lula left the steel-workers union building where he had sought refuge on Saturday after defying the court order for 24 hours.
Thousands of his supporters surrounded the building overnight, dissuading the police from trying to arrest him. In an hour-long speech, Lula accused the judiciary of assisting a right-wing “coup” to prevent him from competing in this year’s presidential elections.
“I am the only human being to be put on trial for an apartment which does not belong to me,” he said. “You’ll see that I will come out of this bigger, stronger,”promising to prove his innocence.
When Lula arrived at the prison police attacked people there to protest in support of Lula. At least 8 people were wounded during the clashes. Four of the injured are said to minors. The security forces reportedly attacked the crowd following the arrival of the aircraft transporting Lula.
Reprimen a simpatizantes de Lula da Silva en Curitiba, Brasil https://t.co/OoPwYot6DR
— Nacho Lemus (@LemusteleSUR) April 8, 2018
Repression from Federal Police in Curitiba, where former President @LulapeloBrasil is detained. pic.twitter.com/AjT5mOYT32
— teleSUR English (@telesurenglish) April 8, 2018
La parte que faltaba en esta historia: la policia militar reprime con balas de goma y gases lacrimógenos. Hay varios manifestantes heridos en Curitiba por gritar #LulaLivre
Ft: @Brasil_de_Fato pic.twitter.com/rvr2KUFGjJ— Nacho Lemus (@LemusteleSUR) April 8, 2018< The former president said he will comply with the arrest warrant, but stressed his ideas and dreams will not end because “there are thousands of Lulas.”
Telesur reported Lula stressed his ideas and dreams will not end because “there are thousands of Lulas.” Silva delivered a rousing speech to thousands of supporters shortly before he was transported to prison. Here it is in full.
Lula Defies Court Order to Turn Himself In
When the deadline arrived, the popular former president has hunkered down with supporters at a metallurgical union in the Sao Paulo suburb of Sao Bernardo do Campo.
Brazil‘s embattled former President Luiz Inacio ‘Lula’ da Silva has defied a court order to turn himself into Curitiba police by 5 p.m. local time today to commence his 12-year jail sentence for corruption, triggering a stand-off between the presidential hopeful and Brazilian authorities.
Federal authorities have reportedly said they will not execute any arrest warrant until Saturday at the earliest. Late Friday night, it emerged that Lula is planning to attend a mass at 9am Saturday – at the same metallurgical union in Sao Paolo in which he is currently ensconced – to commemorate the passing of his late wife Marisa Leticia.
Earlier on Friday, lawyers representing the man who dominated Brazilian politics between 2003 and 2011 submitted a fresh habeas corpus writ after his previous bid to avoid incarceration while his appeals play out was shot down by a 6-5 vote in the Supreme Court shortly after midnight Wednesday.
That writ was later rejected by Brazil’s top appeals court: the decision was announced in a court document less than an hour before Lula’s deadline to turn himself in to authorities.
Lula’s lawyers are also believed to be presenting a precautionary measure before the United Nations Human Rights Committee in order to stop the detention until the judicial process is exhausted.
Late Friday night, they also petitioned the Supreme Court to quash the prison order, saying it prevented Lula from using a few technical appeals that remained. A result is not expected until Wednesday.
Federal police in Sao Paulo declined to say if they would attempt to forcibly take the former president into custody, a move that could trigger intense clashes with his supporters. A union spokesman said Lula was mulling his options.
Judge Sergio Moro issued a warrant for Lula’s arrest on Thursday, giving the popular Workers’ Party leader 24 hours to surrender himself.
When the deadline arrived, however, Lula was hunkered down with supporters at a metallurgical union in the Sao Paulo suburb of Sao Bernardo do Campo, Associated Press reports.
One of his defense attorneys, Jose Roberto Batochio, told Folha de S. Paulo newspaper Friday that “Lula” will not “go to the slaughterhouse downtrodden” and instead will turn himself into authorities “out of his free will.”
Federal police in Sao Paulo declined to say if they would attempt to forcibly take the former president into custody, a move that could trigger intense clashes with his supporters. A union spokesman said Lula was mulling his options with lawyers.
Hundreds of supporters filled the street outside the union headquarters, cheering defiant speeches calling the case a political witch hunt. A banner hung from the building showed Lula’s smiling face on an electronic voting machine.
“We are here to show that the workers will resist this attack against democracy,” said Jorge Nazareno, a union leader who said he had met briefly with Lula on Friday morning.
Lula himself had not addressed the crowd nearly 24 hours after arriving at the building, although union leaders said in a statement posted on their website that he would speak to the crowd late Friday afternoon.
