Lula’s defense to further appeal against imprisonment

Attorney Cristiano Zanin, of former President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s defense team, said Lula is outraged, but fine. Zanin said he only talked to the onetime leader at the Federal Police prison unit Sunday (Apr. 8), but added he could not get into further detail as it was a lawyer–client meeting.

Zanin confirmed that Lula’s defense team is to continue to take measures to reverse his client’s jail sentence, and said his lawyers have considered requesting having Lula relocated to São Paulo. “I’m not at liberty to reveal the strategies of the counsel. We believe there are no legal grounds for him to be incarcerated, and we’ll take action to reverse his jail sentence,” he added.

After keeping vigil for two days at the ABC Metalworkers Trade Union headquarters, in São Bernardo do Campo, São Paulo, Lula turned himself in to the Federal Police on Saturday (7), more than 24 after the end of the deadline set by Federal Judge Sérgio Moro for his arrest. Earlier on, Lula had delivered a long speech, where he talked about his political career and criticized the judiciary branch, the press, and the case leading up to his conviction, and said that his imprisonment will not incarcerate the ideas and the dreams of the people.

Lula believes it is possible for the country’s Supreme Court to reverse his jail sentence, as neither his conviction nor the anticipated beginning of a sentence are compatible with Brazilian law, he argued.

After having undergone a forensic medical examination at Federal Police facilities in São Paulo, the former president took off to Curitiba, in the southern state of Paraná, where he is to serve jail time.

Criminal cases

Lula is facing six criminal cases, in addition to being charged in two others. This was the first conviction. He was sentenced to 12 years and one month in prison for having accepted a tripex apartment in coastal Guarujá, São Paulo, in exchange for favoring construction company OAS. Dealings are believed to have involved approximately $713 thousand.

Two other cases are under progress in Curitiba, led by Sérgio Moro. The other four are under the responsibility of a federal court in Brasília.

Translated by Fabrício Ferreira