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Derechos | Equipo Nizkor
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Derechos | Equipo Nizkor
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08Apr18
Brazilian ex-president surrenders to police to start serving his corruption sentence – TV
Luiz Inacio Lula Da Silva, the ex-president of Brazil who had been ordered to start serving his 12-year prison sentence on a corruption charge conviction, has surrendered to police, according to a live coverage by the Globo TV.
According to the channel, a Federal police convoy of 15 vehicles took the former head of state to the Sao Paolo police headquarters from the Metalworkers' Union headquarters, where he remained since Thursday. The convoy's route was kept secret for safety reasons.
Later, Lula Da Silva underwent a medical examination, mandatory for all inmates who are starting to serve their jail term.
After that, he was flown by a helicopter to the Sao Paulo-Congonhas Airport and subsequently to the city of Curitiba in the south of the country, where he will serve his prison sentence.
According to the channel's report, the helicopter transporting the former president landed at a helicopter pad on the roof of the Curitiba Federal Police department and group of police officers met him and convoyed him inside the building. In line with the court ruling, the ex-president was not handcuffed.
Separate groups of Lula Da Silva's supporters and opponents gathered outside the Curitiba Federal Police department.
The UOL news portal said police had to use tear gas and rubber bullets against the crowd of ex-president's supporters after they tried to break into the building.
Police sources told Globo that at least nine people, including one child, were injured in the clashes.
Lula Da Silva will become Brazil's first ex-president sent to jail as a result of a criminal trial.
On Wednesday night, Brazil's Supreme Federal Court has ordered to send Lula da Silva to jail following a guilty verdict in the corruption case, related to the purchase of a luxury apartment in the resort city of Guaruja. The judge issued an arrest warrant for him, calling on the former president to surrender to police by 17:00 local time (23:00 Moscow time) on Friday, April 6.
The former president failed to fulfill the requirement in time, but declared he was ready to go to jail.
On January 24, Regional Federal Tribunal 4 confirmed the verdict for Lula da Silva increasing his jail term from nine years and six months to 12 years and one month. A person charged with corruption by a second-instance court loses the right to hold elected office under Brazilian law. However, despite numerous charges, the former head of state is the frontrunner in the presidential race due in October. Lula da Silva, who served as president in 2003-2011, declared that he was ready to become a presidential candidate despite the court's decision.
[Source: Itar Tass, Rio de Janeiro, 08Apr18]
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