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WORLD NEWS Thursday 20 July 2017

Brazil freezes accounts of ex-President Silva in graft case

By MAURICIO SAVARESE he requested the freezing
Associated Press of up to 10 million Brazilian
SAO PAULO (AP) — Brazil’s reals, but the bank said it
central bank has frozen only found what was in the
four bank accounts be- four accounts. The judge
longing to ex-President Luiz said the measure was nec-
Inacio Lula da Silva due to essary “for the reparation
his recent conviction on of damages that originat-
corruption charges, the ed in the crimes.”
federal judge overseeing “It was not possible to
the case said Wednesday. trace the rest of the bribes
The assets in question paid in connection with
amount to more than the corruption at Petro-
600,000 Brazilian reals bras,” Moro wrote. “It is
($190,000), according to possible it has been used
the office of Sergio Moro, to illegally finance elec-
who last week sentenced toral campaigns.” Last
Silva to 9½ years in prison in week the judge also seized
connection with a sprawl- a beachfront apartment
ing graft probe involving in the city of Guaruja, Sao
state-run oil giant Petro- Paulo state, that is the In this July 13, 2017 photo, former Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva prepares to speak to
bras. Moro also barred the centerpiece of the cor- the press and supporters at the headquarters of the Worker’s Party, in Sao Paulo, Brazil. A Brazilian
ex-president from using ruption and money laun- judge said on Wednesday, July 19, 2017 bank accounts belonging to the ex-president have been
three apartments, a piece dering case against Silva. frozen due to his conviction on corruption charges.
of land and two cars linked The apartment is valued at (AP Photo/Andre Penner)
to him. None can be sold about 2.2 million Brazilian
until there is a final ruling on reals ($700,000), according supporters and loathed the apartment to Silva as was never his and he and
the case. In a statement, to investigators. as a zealot by detractors, a bribe for three contracts his wife only visited once
Silva’s defense denied any Moro, who is hailed as an said construction compa- with Petrobras. before declining to buy it.
wrongdoing and called anti-corruption hero by ny OAS promised to give Silva says the apartment q
the decision illegal and
abusive. The former presi- Chile:
dent — who is commonly
known as Lula — remains Senate OKs bill allowing abortion in some cases
free pending an appeal.
“This decision makes all
Lula’s assets and values By EVA VERGARA proved in 2016 by the lower hibit abortion in all cases, try in Latin America to allow
unavailable to him, which Associated Press house, where a vote on according to the New York- cannabis-based medicines
hampers his and his fam- SANTIAGO, Chile (AP) — changes introduced by the based Center for Repro- at pharmacies.
ily’s ability to live. It is yet Chilean lawmakers took a Senate was postponed to ductive Rights. A handful of The changing attitudes
another arbitrary decision major step toward legaliz- Thursday. others have rules so restric- mark a generational shift
among many others com- ing abortion in some cases President Michelle Bach- tive that they amount to de as younger people born
mitted by the same judge on Wednesday, a dramatic elet supports the measure facto bans. after the 1973-1990 military
against former president development in one of Lat- and has said she would But views have been shift- dictatorship of Augusto Pi-
Lula,” his lawyers Cristiano in America’s most tradition- sign the law. ing in Chile on a number nochet come of age.
Zanin and Zuleika Martins ally conservative countries. But opposition lawmak- of social issues that were The trend has been more
said. His defense has re- In a marathon session last- ers from the conservative once taboo. evident since a wave of stu-
peatedly called the graft ing well past midnight, political bloc Chile Vamos The predominantly Roman dent protests demanding
conviction politically moti- the Senate voted to allow said they would appeal it Catholic nation began to education reform began in
vated and a plot to sideline abortions when a mother’s to Chile’s Constitutional Tri- allow divorce only in 2004, 2011 and has accelerated
Silva, a front-runner for next life is in danger, when the bunal, which could rule it and in 2015, Congress rec- as a string of priest sex-
year’s presidential election fetus is not viable and in unconstitutional. ognized civil unions for abuse scandals prompted
according to recent polls. cases of rape. Chile is one of just four same-sex couples. Recent- many Chileans to question
Moro said in his ruling that A version of the bill was ap- countries that currently pro- ly it became the first coun- Catholic doctrine.q