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| Tension grips Brazil as ex-president Lula appears in court on corruption charges | Tension grips Brazil as ex-president Lula appears in court on corruption charges |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Two of Brazil’s most powerful men are facing each other in a Curitiba courtroom in a legal encounter that has divided the country and left Brazilians tense over what could happen next. | Two of Brazil’s most powerful men are facing each other in a Curitiba courtroom in a legal encounter that has divided the country and left Brazilians tense over what could happen next. |
| On one side is Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, known simply as Lula – the most popular president in Brazilian history. He is being questioned by Sérgio Moro, a crusading federal judge who has become a national hero for jailing the rich and powerful in a gargantuan corruption scandal. | On one side is Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, known simply as Lula – the most popular president in Brazilian history. He is being questioned by Sérgio Moro, a crusading federal judge who has become a national hero for jailing the rich and powerful in a gargantuan corruption scandal. |
| Lula is accused of benefiting from the plot, in which billions of dollars were siphoned off fat contracts at the state-run oil company Petrobras. If he is found guilty and jailed, it would mark an extraordinary comedown for a man who transformed Brazil during his eight-year presidency. | Lula is accused of benefiting from the plot, in which billions of dollars were siphoned off fat contracts at the state-run oil company Petrobras. If he is found guilty and jailed, it would mark an extraordinary comedown for a man who transformed Brazil during his eight-year presidency. |
| Amid fears of violent protests, security has been increased around the courtroom in the southern city of Curitiba, where the hearing – which is closed the press – is taking place. Thousands of red-shirted Lula supporters have been descending on the city, along with Dilma Rousseff, his successor as president for the leftist Workers’ party, who was impeached last year. | Amid fears of violent protests, security has been increased around the courtroom in the southern city of Curitiba, where the hearing – which is closed the press – is taking place. Thousands of red-shirted Lula supporters have been descending on the city, along with Dilma Rousseff, his successor as president for the leftist Workers’ party, who was impeached last year. |
| Paulo Baía, a political scientist at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, said the trial had become politicised by both Lula and Moro. “There is a climate of tension,” he said. But in recording a video asking supporters of the corruption investigation not to go to Curitiba to demonstrate, Moro had also politicised the trial, Baía said. | Paulo Baía, a political scientist at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, said the trial had become politicised by both Lula and Moro. “There is a climate of tension,” he said. But in recording a video asking supporters of the corruption investigation not to go to Curitiba to demonstrate, Moro had also politicised the trial, Baía said. |
| “It has elevated the temperature of the testimony into a big political act,” he said. | “It has elevated the temperature of the testimony into a big political act,” he said. |
| Lula – who waved a Brazilian flag on the way into court – faces a barrage of legal cases. Wednesday’s hearing is focusing on a seaside apartment which prosecutors allege was renovated and then given to him by OAS, a company embroiled in the scandal, which also transported and stored his presidential archive. | |
| Lula is accused of benefitting to the tune of 3.7m reais (£910,000), but the prosecution alleges OAS was settling a bigger 88m reais (£21m) graft bill with the Workers’ party he co-founded, in return for big oil refinery contracts. | Lula is accused of benefitting to the tune of 3.7m reais (£910,000), but the prosecution alleges OAS was settling a bigger 88m reais (£21m) graft bill with the Workers’ party he co-founded, in return for big oil refinery contracts. |
| Lula denies the charges, which his supporters say are part of a politically motivated legal war to stop him from winning a third presidential election in 2018. Early polls have put Lula as a clear winner in the contest – but if he were found guilty and his conviction upheld by a higher court, he would be unable to run. After today’s hearing, the prosecution and defence will present their final arguments before a ruling. | Lula denies the charges, which his supporters say are part of a politically motivated legal war to stop him from winning a third presidential election in 2018. Early polls have put Lula as a clear winner in the contest – but if he were found guilty and his conviction upheld by a higher court, he would be unable to run. After today’s hearing, the prosecution and defence will present their final arguments before a ruling. |
| “Lula is innocent. No evidence has been produced against Lula by the prosecution despite an investigation lasting over two years,” the former president’s lawyer Cristiano Martins said in a statement. “Today’s court hearing is a politically motivated attack on Brazilian democracy and the rule of law.” | “Lula is innocent. No evidence has been produced against Lula by the prosecution despite an investigation lasting over two years,” the former president’s lawyer Cristiano Martins said in a statement. “Today’s court hearing is a politically motivated attack on Brazilian democracy and the rule of law.” |
| Hashtags in support of both Lula and Moro have been trending heavily in Brazil. One of the most popular, #MoroOrgulhoBrasileiro (#MoroBrazilianPride), was shared by a Brazilian tweeting as Cleide Viana. “We don’t need another hero, we have Dr Moro,” she posted. | Hashtags in support of both Lula and Moro have been trending heavily in Brazil. One of the most popular, #MoroOrgulhoBrasileiro (#MoroBrazilianPride), was shared by a Brazilian tweeting as Cleide Viana. “We don’t need another hero, we have Dr Moro,” she posted. |
| The former president’s supporters, meanwhile used the hashtag #MoroPersegueLula – or MoroPersecutesLula. | |
| Thousands of Lula supporters have been gathering in Curitiba. Paulo D’Avila, 67, a retired tax officer in a red T-shirt, travelled two and a half hours to support the former president. He said Moro was the puppet of darker forces that masterminded the controversial impeachment of Rousseff in 2016 – a process she and Lula describe as a coup. | Thousands of Lula supporters have been gathering in Curitiba. Paulo D’Avila, 67, a retired tax officer in a red T-shirt, travelled two and a half hours to support the former president. He said Moro was the puppet of darker forces that masterminded the controversial impeachment of Rousseff in 2016 – a process she and Lula describe as a coup. |
| “He is in service of financial capital,” D’Avila said. “Like a good part of Brazilians, I am in the struggle against this gang that has taken over Brazil.” | “He is in service of financial capital,” D’Avila said. “Like a good part of Brazilians, I am in the struggle against this gang that has taken over Brazil.” |