This article is from the source 'nytimes' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.nytimes.com/2016/03/05/world/americas/brazil-raid-luiz-incio-lula-da-silva.html

The article has changed 13 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Police Raid Home of Ex-President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva of Brazil Brazil’s Ex-Leader, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, Is Held for Questioning
(35 minutes later)
RIO DE JANEIRO — Brazilian police officers raided the home of Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, the former president who is under investigation in the colossal graft scheme involving the national oil company Petrobras, on Friday morning.RIO DE JANEIRO — Brazilian police officers raided the home of Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, the former president who is under investigation in the colossal graft scheme involving the national oil company Petrobras, on Friday morning.
Officers from the Federal Police swarmed Mr. da Silva’s home in São Paulo, according to reports on television. He is wanted for questioning on suspicions that construction companies paid for renovations of a country estate and beachfront apartment to be used by his family. Universally known as Lula, Mr. da Silva, who served from 2003 through 2010, remains the most towering figure in the governing left-wing Workers’ Party. Officers from the Federal Police swarmed Mr. da Silva’s home in São Paulo, according to reports on television. He was taken to a police station at Congonhas Airport for questioning. Although he was in custody, he has not been arrested or charged.
The raid comes amid growing concern in Brazil over efforts to weaken the Petrobras investigation, which has put administration of Mr. da Silva’s successor, Dilma Rousseff, on the defensive. Her justice minister resigned this week, citing “political pressure” from factions within the party. Mr. da Silva, 70, has been facing an array of legal challenges related largely to his close ties to giant construction companies that profited from lucrative government contracts. He has been facing questions about suspicions that construction companies paid for renovations of a country estate and beachfront apartment to be used by his family.
Mr. da Silva, 70, has been facing an array of legal challenges related largely to his close ties to giant construction companies that profited from lucrative government contracts. He continues to exert considerable sway in the capital, Brasília, ranking among Brazil’s most powerful figures. Universally known as Lula, Mr. da Silva, who served from 2003 through 2010, remains the most towering figure in the governing left-wing Workers’ Party. He continues to exert considerable sway in the capital, Brasília, ranking among Brazil’s most powerful figures.
The growing scrutiny of Mr. da Silva has brought angry rebukes from him and his supporters. A news report on Thursday claimed that Delcídio do Amaral, a senator in the Workers’ Party, was negotiating a plea deal in which he would testify that Mr. da Silva had arranged for illegal payments to Marcos Valério de Souza, a businessman convicted of operating a vote-buying scheme during Mr. da Silva’s time in office.The growing scrutiny of Mr. da Silva has brought angry rebukes from him and his supporters. A news report on Thursday claimed that Delcídio do Amaral, a senator in the Workers’ Party, was negotiating a plea deal in which he would testify that Mr. da Silva had arranged for illegal payments to Marcos Valério de Souza, a businessman convicted of operating a vote-buying scheme during Mr. da Silva’s time in office.
“Lula never participated, directly or indirectly, in any illegal act during or after his government,” a spokesman for the former president’s institute said in a statement on Thursday.“Lula never participated, directly or indirectly, in any illegal act during or after his government,” a spokesman for the former president’s institute said in a statement on Thursday.