Ruling allowing for Lula’s imminent imprisonment splits Brazil
Judge in trial of former Brazil president can authorise detention
Brasília — Former Brazilian president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva was on the verge of going to prison on Thursday after the Supreme Court rejected his bid to delay a 12-year sentence for corruption in a ruling that split the country and upended this year’s election. Following the court’s narrow decision against allowing Lula to remain free pending new appeals, it was expected that Brazil’s chief anti-corruption judge, Sergio Moro, would soon issue an order for the two-term former president to be incarcerated. It remained unclear exactly when this would take place. But legal experts said it would be no more than a few days away, possibly early next week. The 11 judges deliberated for more than 10 hours from Wednesday into Thursday on Lula’s request to avoid going to prison while he mounts fresh appeals. At 5-5, it was court president Carmen Lucia who cast the tie-breaker, saying that postponing serving of sentences "could lead to impunity". Broadcast live on television, the drama left ...
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