A Brazilian Supreme Federal Court judge suspended former Brazilian president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva’s nomination to a Cabinet post amid corruption investigations, a decision likely to stoke tensions in a country already rocked by dueling pro and anti-government demonstrations.
In his ruling late on Friday, Justice Gilmar Mendes called Lula’s appointment as Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff’s chief of staff a clear attempt to help the once wildly popular ex-leader get around his legal woes.
Two weeks ago, Lula was taken in for questioning in a sprawling investigation into an alleged kickback scheme at state oil company Petrobras. If he were to become a Cabinet minister, Lula could only be prosecuted with the approval of the court, and his appointment sparked an outcry from critics who said Rousseff was seeking to shield her mentor from prosecution.
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“The goal of the falsity is clear: prevent the carrying out of a preventative arrest order” against Lula being considered by a lower court, Mendes wrote in his ruling.
Both Rousseff and Lula deny the accusations, and on Friday tens of thousands demonstrators rallied behind them and Brazil’s center-left government. Anti-government protests last weekend saw an estimated 3 million people on streets nationwide.
Mendes’ decision leaves Lula, and Latin America’s largest nation, in limbo. The government will likely appeal the decision, which would eventually have to be decided by the full court. However, with Holy Week next week, it could be some time before the full court meets.
The political turmoil comes as Brazil prepares to host the Summer Olympics in August and Latin America’s most populous nation faces crises on several fronts.
The country is at the center of an outbreak of the Zika virus, which health experts believe can cause abnormally small heads in newborns, and its economy, long an engine for neighboring countries, has sharply contracted by nearly 4 percent. Inflation has spiked in the past year and announcements of job layoffs have become common.
The decision by Mendes was the latest volley in what has become a legal game of ping pong.
Lula was sworn in as chief aide to Rousseff on Thursday, a post that would let the charismatic politician help Rousseff battle impeachment and one that also makes it harder to investigate any possible links to a corruption scandal.
Opponents quickly won injunctions from two regional federal judges to block his appointment, but both were quickly overturned by an appeals court. Later in the afternoon, a federal judge in the city of Assis, Sao Paulo state, ordered a third injunction.
Supporters of Lula, who was one of the world’s most famous leaders as president from 2003 to 2010, backed him at rallies on Friday. Many wore red T-shirts and caps and frequently chanted “Lula, the minister of hope.”
The Datafolha polling agency estimated 95,000 people took part in the rally, while police estimates put turnout at 80,000.
When Lula appeared on top of a large sound truck to address the crowd, he was greeted with loud cheers and shouts of “Lula, Lula.”
“Next week, if there is no impediment, I will start to proudly serve President Dilma and the Brazilian people,” he said.
“I am going back to help President Dilma do what must be done — re-establish peace and hope. There is no room for hate in this country,” he added.
He wound up his 20-minute speech staring at the crowd and shouting: “there will be no coup.”
Rousseff’s supporters say 70-year-old Lula, known for his ability to build consensus, could save her job and help bring the economy back from the abyss.
With her approval ratings in the single digits, Rousseff is fighting attempts to oust her over allegations of fiscal mismanagement.
The move toward impeachment advanced this week as the lower house established a special commission on the matter.
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