MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency
Lula could have to begin serving his 12-year sentence next week
The three-judge appeals court in southern Brazil will rule on Monday on the final procedural appeals by Lula’s legal team. Brazilian federal appeals court will make a final ruling next week on a corruption conviction of former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, a decision that could see the popular politician ordered to prison shortly afterward, the court’s press office said on Wednesday.
The three-judge appeals court in southern Brazil will rule on Monday on the final procedural appeals by Lula’s legal team. The same court has already upheld Lula’s conviction on taking bribes and money laundering.
If the judges unanimously reject all the former president’s appeals, it means that an order for Lula to begin serving his 12-year sentence could be issued a day or two afterward, even as Lula appeals to higher courts.
Lula, Brazil’s first working-class president, oversaw years of robust growth and falling inequality during a commodity boom last decade, and has said he wants to run again for the presidency in October. He leads all early polls.
There is a chance Lula could avoid prison because of two possible rulings by the Supreme Court.
Chief Justice Carmen Lucia said on Wednesday the court would open hearings on Thursday on a request from Lula’s lawyers that he not begin serving any jail time until he has exhausted all appeals. Earlier this month, Brazil’s top appeals court rejected that request.
Also, there has been a push in recent days by several members of the Supreme Court to open debate this week or next on its own 2016 ruling that defendants could begin serving prison sentences after their conviction was upheld on a first appeal.
Before that, all possible appeals had to be heard before a defendant could be sent to prison. Critics said that had fomented a culture of impunity, as those wealthy enough to afford a protracted appeals process in Brazil’s complex and badly backlogged legal system easily avoided jail time.
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Read all commentsThe BEST thing which I loved to see on the title is: “COULD HAVE TO”- extremely comical indeed - as usual, NOTHINg is definite! :o))))
Mar 23rd, 2018 - 01:10 pm +1IN ANY CASE:
The effectiveness of this and MANY other “so-called”[farsical] cases & investigations sound more like STARTING to dig a well for water [to extinguish a fire] only AFTER a home has already burnt down to ashes!
Lula will not be jailed next week...Yday, the STF postponed the final decision (whether to concede his HC , or not) to the 4th April, and his freedom is guaranteed until that date.
Mar 23rd, 2018 - 04:11 pm +1@EM
I wish Lula would listen to you....he 'should' go home and disappear.
But you're right, “that's not the material of which Lula is made” - he is made of excrement, and as such, should be flushed down the toilet.
Reekie, your unfaltering belief in Lula's innocence is quite impressive...but not in a positive way.....and of course, you believe he is still the (relatively) poor politician he was was when he became president in 2003.
Strange that you can't see - or don't want to - that Lula today is also part of the group you call “the powerful greedy”
@EM
Mar 23rd, 2018 - 07:48 pm +1“Apparently, Jack prefers to believe the Celebrity Net Worth. I'd rather give credit to Forbes on this one.”
First, “apparently” Reekie is putting words in my mouth. I never said Lula was a 'billionaire', but you have understood what you want to - as always. I said he was the leader of a criminal organization, installed in his government, formed mainly by high-ranking petistas, and their political indications of directors in Petrobrás, through whom the money flowed out of PB and into theirs and the PT's pockets....as the leader, he got his share of the loot.
Second, the only reason that Forbes is unable to affirm anything regarding Lula's assets, is because Lula's assets are not in his name....such as the R$ 23,000,000.00 credit discovered in the Odebrecht's Bribe Department's confidential spreadsheets, where Lula is referred to as “amigo do pai” (Marcelo Odebrecht's father, Emílio); the 'triplex' which will never be his, after the 'lavajato” spoiled his plans in October 2014 ; the Atibaia country home, reformed and totally equipped at the expense of both Odebrecht and OAS (dozens of bills attest to that), and the object of the 2nd Federal charge against Lula, so the question is , why would two giant construction companies get involved in such a home, pay for all the expenses, when neither of them own it ? and that it was used by Lula, and only Lula and his familiy ? Answer that, IF you can, Reekie. The apartment beside his, in SBCampo, not in his name, but which he uses as his own, and never paid one cent in rent....the official/legal owner (“laranja”) of the apartment confirmed he never received the rent...Wonder why.
The list is too damned long to carry on, but even if I did have the patience to mention the other cases, it would be lost on you...You've been out of South America for too long.
As to Nix's 'famous' (really ??? how original ! ) statement, sounds quite plausible, but get's dashed to the ground when proof is available
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