Deadline expired, former president Lula still in São Paulo

The deadline for former President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva to turn himself in to the Federal Police in Curitiba, in the southern state of Paraná, has expired. Until 9 pm (local time) the onetime leader remained inside the headquarters of a steelworkers union in the city of São Bernardo do Campo, São Paulo, where he lives.

The president of the Workers’ Party (PT), senator Gleisi Hoffman, said that the ex-president is to “stay with his supporters.” The senator went on to say that Lula “has chosen” not to go to Curitiba.

“I would like to make it clear that president Lula has no intention of defying the arrest warrant issued by Judge Sérgio Moro. The judge gave him the option of going to Curitiba. He has chosen not to go,” she said.

“He is here, at the steelworkers union in São Bernardo do Campo, a public place. Many people know where he is. The whole world knows where he is, by the way. He will stay here with his supporters,” she added. Federal authorities in Paraná confirmed Lula is not officially a fugitive.

The president of the National Federation of the Federal Police, Luís Antônio Boudens, said there are no grounds to believe there is a flight risk. “The fugitive condition is a very specific one. There must be flight components, a refusal to report [to the police]. The deadline for him to turn himself in voluntarily has expired. Therefore, the [arrest] warrant will be executed,” he said.

Boudens called for reinforcements in the security of the police agents that will be executing the warrant. He also said that Moro was quick in issuing the arrest order and there was not enough time for planning its execution.

*Danyele Soares, special envoy to Curitiba, contributed to this article.

Translated by Mariana Branco