A Brazilian appeals court unanimously upheld a corruption conviction against former president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on Wednesday.
Jan. 24 (UPI) — A Brazilian appeals court unanimously upheld a corruption conviction against former president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on Wednesday.
The three-judge panel’s decision to uphold the conviction could prevent the 72-year-old da Silva’s candidacy in Brazil’s upcoming election. The country’s « clean record law » bars politicians whose convictions are upheld on appeal from running for office.
« There is proof beyond a reasonable doubt that the ex-president was one of the actors, if not the principal actor, of an ample corruption scheme, » said Joao Pedro Gebran Neto, one of the judges.
The court ruled against jailing Lula da Silva as he fights the conviction, but increased his sentence from 9 years to 12 years in prison.
« At a minimum, he was conscious and gave support to what happened, » Neto said.
Lula Da Silva was convicted of receiving more than $1 million in bribes, including a newly refurbished beachfront apartment, as part of a corruption scandal known as « Operation Car Wash. »
The former president can appeal the conviction to Brazil’s Superior Electoral Court and the Supreme Federal Court and apply to an electoral tribunal for a special exemption to run for president if the appeal process extends through the election.
He delivered a message of defiance while speaking at a rally of his supporters in Porto Alegre, home of the Fourth Regional Federal Court of Appeals, on Tuesday.
« Only one thing is going to remove me from the streets of this country and that will be the day that I die, » Lula da Silva said. « Until then, I will be fighting for a fairer society. »
His Workers’ Party backed up Lula da Silva in a statement and called on his supporters to take to the streets.
« If they think this story ends with today’s decision they’re sorely mistaken, » the party said. « We won’t give up in the face of this injustice. »
