Page 12 - ARUBA TODAY

A12 WORLD NEWS
Thursday 5 april 2018

Brazil's top court spars over jail for ex-President da Silva

By PETER PRENGAMAN and average citizens furious
MAURICIO SAVARESE with the political class.
RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — Jus- Da Silva was convicted
tices on Brazil's top court last year of helping a con-
appeared to be moving struction company get
Wednesday night toward sweetheart contracts in
denying a petition from for- exchange for the prom-
mer President Luiz Inacio ise of a beachfront apart-
Lula da Silva to stay out of ment. The conviction was
prison while he appeals a handed down by Judge
12-year sentence for cor- Sergio Moro, who is presid-
ruption, a ruling that could ing over cases involving the
affect the country's stability so-called "Car Wash" inves-
ahead of October elec- tigation.
tions. Supporters hail Moro as a
Da Silva leads presidential hero taking on endemic
polls despite his conviction corruption while detrac-
and several other corrup- tors, particularly supporters
tion charges that have yet of da Silva's Workers' Party,
to be tried. A Supreme Fed- consider him a partisan hit
eral Tribunal decision to al- man. Da Silva has always
low a lower court to force maintained his innocence,
the ex-leader to begin serv- saying this case as well as
ing his sentence could all Demonstrators carry signs written in Portuguese that read "Free Lula" during a protest in support of several other corruption
but doom his candidacy Brazil's former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, in Brasilia, Brazil, Wednesday, April 4, 2018. charges that have yet to
and generate protests at a Associated Press be tried are attempts to
time of high tension in Latin into one's own hands," said Brazil as millions tuned into the general wrote in one keep him off the presiden-
America's largest nation. Barroso, who voted against the televised session. tweet. tial ballot.
Six hours into the session, the petition. On the eve of the session, In a second tweet, Boas However, da Silva's de-
four justices had voted Justice Rosa Weber, who the country's army com- wrote that he shared peo- nials received a blow in
against da Silva and one in legal analysts said could mander raised eyebrows — ple's anxiousness and "re- January, when an appeals
his favor. The matter would be key because there was and was widely celebrated pudiated impunity." court upheld the convic-
be decided once six of the much doubt about her po- and condemned online — O Globo, one of the coun- tion involving the beach-
11 members voted a par- sition on the matter, voted with tweets subtly support- try's leading newspapers, front apartment. The three
ticular way. The session was against da Silva. ing da Silva's incarceration. criticized the comments, reviewing magistrates even
expected to run far into the In a sign of how fraught the Gen. Eduardo Villas Boas saying in a Wednesday ed- lengthened the sentence
night. case was, after Weber's posted two tweets Tuesday itorial that a military chief to 12 years and one month.
Justice Gilmar Mendes, vote, justice Marco Aurelio night that many interpret- should "not be opining over While da Silva, known sim-
who voted in favor of da Mello accused Chief Jus- ed as a form of pressure judicial and political ques- ply as "Lula" to Brazilians,
Silva's petition to stay out tice Carmen Lucia of plot- on the 11 justices on the tions." has further appeals avail-
of jail, argued the court ting against da Silva's case. Supreme Federal Tribunal In a statement to O Glo- able, he could be forced
couldn't make decisions Mello said limiting the vote and a veiled threat of inter- bo, Gen. Joaquim Silva e under Brazilian law to be-
based on popular opinion. just to the habeas corpus vention. Such concerns are Luna, the defense minister, gin serving his sentence,
"If a court bows (to pres- petition and not the merits taken seriously in a country said Boas' intention was to which Moro and the other
sure), it might as well not of the conviction against that experienced a 1964- assure people that force judges have ordered. Da
exist," said Mendes. da Silva helped sway We- 1985 military dictatorship. would not be used. Silva's lawyers argue their
Justice Luis Roberto Barroso ber's vote. "In Brazil's current situation, Da Silva, who was once client has a constitutional
argued that the integrity of "I want this to be registered it's worth asking our institu- wildly popular after his two right to stay out of jail until
the justice system was at in the court's records," Mel- tions and the people who is terms as president from all appeals are exhausted.
stake. lo told Lucia, who respond- really thinking about what 2003 to 2010, has become Throughout all the legal
"A penal system that ed by saying "yes" to the is best for the country and a polarizing figure amid a battles, da Silva has been
doesn't work with minimal request. future generations, and massive corruption scandal campaigning nationwide,
effectiveness leads to an The session reflected the who is only worried about that has roiled Brazil the last criticizing detractors and
instinct for taking justice debate happening across their personal interests?" several years and made promising not to give up. q