Protests erupted in several Brazilian cities on Wednesday after Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff named her predecessor Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva chief of staff and a taped conversation fed opposition claims the move was meant to shield Lula from prosecution.
In the capital, Brasilia, riot police fired pepper spray at more than 5,000 demonstrators who filled the streets outside the presidential palace and Brazilian Congress building. They waved banners calling for the leader’s resignation and Lula’s arrest.
Thousands more demonstrators packed the main Avenue Paulista in Sao Paulo, Brazil’s financial hub, which was the center of national protests on Sunday that drew more than 1 million people onto the streets in a call for Rousseff’s departure.
Photo: Reuters
With Brazil’s economy mired in its worst recession in a generation, popular anger at Rousseff is mounting as an investigation into bribes and political kickbacks at state oil company Petrobras taints her inner circle.
“I am here for the future of my children, grandchildren and great grandchildren,” said Vera Carneiro, 75, draped in a yellow-and-green Brazilian flag outside the presidency. “Dilma has to go. She and Lula both. Enough is enough.”
Rousseff’s appointment of Lula, who was charged last week with money laundering and fraud as part of the probe, was slammed by opposition parties as a desperate attempt to rally support in Congress against impeachment proceedings due to start yesterday.
Lula, a 70-year-old former union leader whose 2003 to 2010 government helped lift about 40 million Brazilians out of poverty, remains one of Brazil’s most influential politicians.
However, the corruption investigation has weakened his sway in Congress and there are growing signs that Rousseff’s main coalition partner is preparing to abandon the government.
“Brazil cannot continue with them anymore,” said Rubens Bueno, one of dozens of opposition lawmakers who interrupted a session with chants for Rousseff to resign. “They are using their positions to stay in power at all cost.”
The hurried publication of Lula’s appointment as Rousseff’s chief of staff in a special edition of the government’s Official Gazette on Wednesday gave him immunity from all but the Brazilian Supreme Court, delaying any attempts to prosecute him.
The federal judge overseeing the graft probe said in a court filing released on Wednesday that taped telephone conversations showed Lula and Rousseff considered trying to influence prosecutors and courts in favor of the former president.
However, the judge admitted that there was no evidence they actually carried this out.
One recording, made public by the court, showed Rousseff offering to send Lula a copy of his appointment “in case it was necessary” — a possible reference to it providing him with immunity.
Facing a government backlash against his release of the recordings, Judge Sergio Moro — who has been repeatedly criticized by authorities for what they call uncompromising tactics — said they allowed the public to scrutinize Brazil’s leaders.
“Democracy in a free society requires that the governed know what their leaders do, even when they try to act in the protected shadows,” he wrote.
Lula’s lawyer, Cristiano Zanin Martins, said the decision by the court to release the wiretaps was arbitrary and intended to stir up demonstrations.
The presidential palace said it would take action against the judge and that Lula’s swearing in would go ahead as planned yesterday morning.
Rousseff said Lula was chosen as chief of staff for his experience and that he has a history of championing sound economic policies and fighting inflation.
She said his appointment would not mean he was above investigation, as he could be tried by the Supreme Court.
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