Brazil top court to rule on ex-President Lula’s habeas petition Thursday

Brazil’s Supreme Court Chief Justice Cármen Lúcia scheduled former President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s preventive habeas corpus petition for Thursday (Mar. 22). The move was an attempt by his counsel to prevent his arrest after an appeal court ruled his conviction.

The announcement was made after the opening of Wednesday’s (11) plenary session, on account of the urgency of the request, Cármen Lúcia says.

Soon after the communication, Marco Aurélio Mello, also a Supreme Court justice, requested the examination of two motions on the constitutionality of having convicted individuals serve their sentences immediately after conviction—which is the case with the onetime president.

“I wish to make an appeal […] that we settle and dispel this issue, which only brings with it legal insecurity,” he said, referring to the conflicting decisions by the court on the subject.

Appeal

A regional court slated the examination of Lula’s request for clarifications on his conviction for Monday (26). Brazil’s ex-president was sentenced to 12 years and one month in prison for corruption and money laundering in the case involving the beachfront triplex apartment in Guarujá, on the coast of São Paulo state.

The date was released online, and the court did not disclose whether a special security scheme will be set up for the session, but confirmed it will not be broadcast live. The trial is expected to be quick, as no oral statements are to be given either by the defense or the prosecution.

Translated by Fabrício Ferreira