Federal Court judges appeal against former President Lula's conviction

This Wednesday (Jan. 24), the Federal Court of the 4th region (TRF4) judges former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva's appeal against the ruling of federal judge Sergio Moro, who sentenced him to nine years and six months in prison for money laundering and passive corruption in the process of the triplex condo apartment in the city of Guarujá, São Paulo coast.

Pedro Gebran, first of three judges who will rule on the appeal, voted to uphold Moro's ruling and increase the sentence to twelve years and one month in prison. Judge Leandro Paulsen is now reading his vote. Judge Victor Laus will be the last to vote.

Judge Sérgio Moro oversees processes related to Operation Car Wash in a lower federal court. The operation is a nationwide investigation into bribes at state run oil giant Petrobras.

Lula and former first lady Marisa Letícia, who died in 2017, were charged by federal prosecutors with corruption as the true owners of the triplex.

According to the charges, improvements in the apartment made by the construction company OAS, like the installation of a private elevator, were part of a bribe payment to the former president for supposedly favoring the company in contracts with Petrobras.

Protests pro and against former president Lula happen since yesterday in Brazilian capitals, like Porto Alegre, where the judge of the appeal is taking place, São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. Lula has been leading the polls for 2018 presidential elections so far. 

Translated by Mariana Branco