Ex-minister under Lula turns himself in to serve 30-year sentence

José Dirceu, who served as minister under former President Luís Inácio Lula da Silva, turned himself in to the authorities in order to start serving a sentence of 30 years and nine months in prison.

Dirceu was chief-of-staff—a post with minister status in the Brazilian government—and proved to be one of the most powerful leaders on Lula’s cabinet team.

José Dirceu was former president Lula's chief-of-staff and one of the most powerful leaders in Lula's cabinet team - Marcello Casal jr/Agência Brasil

Roberto Podval, Dirceu’s attorney, said that the former cabinet member will spend the upcoming days at a penitentiary in Brasília, capital of the country and seat of the government. However, the court decision that ruled his imprisonment orders that he should be arrested in Curitiba, in south Brazil, the same city where Lula is serving his 12-year sentence.

Dirceu was given up to 5 pm to report to the Federal Police, as mandated by Judge Gabriela Hardt, who occupies Judge Sérgio Moro’s place at the 13th Federal Court in Curitiba.

José Dirceu is answering charges of corruption, money laundering, and criminal organization under Operation Car Wash.

The arrest of the former minister was ruled on Thursday (May 17), after Dirceu’s last appeal was rejected by an appellate court. As a matter of fact, his sentence was expanded from 20 years and ten months, as originally determined by Moro, to 30 years and nine months. Appeals can still be lodged at higher courts.