Link:\u00a0https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/2018\/apr\/05\/brazil-former-president-lula-jail-corruption-supreme-court-ruling<\/p>\n
Source: The Guardian<\/p>\n
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Brazil\u2019s former president\u00a0Luiz In\u00e1cio Lula da Silva<\/a>, could soon be jailed after the supreme court denied a request to allow him to remain free while appealing against a 12-year conviction for corruption charges.<\/p>\n The ruling in the early hours of Thursday marked an extraordinary turn of events for Brazil\u2019s most popular politician, who left office in 2010 with an\u00a0approval rating of more than 80%<\/a>.<\/p>\n Supreme court judges ruled against him by six to five after a marathon session. The decision could end Lula\u2019s political career, and deepen divisions in the country, which has been racked by recent episodes of political violence.<\/p>\n Lula has said he is innocent and the charges are politically motivated to prevent him from running for president again in the October election. In an official statement, his Worker\u2019s party described the ruling as: \u201ca tragic day for democracy and Brazil\u201d. The case against him is part of Brazil\u2019s sprawling \u201cCar Wash<\/a>\u201d investigation, which has jailed dozens of top executives and politicians.<\/p>\n Lula oversaw a period of sustainable economic growth, and his social policies helped\u00a0lift millions of people out of poverty<\/a>. He was leading opinion polls ahead of the election, despite his conviction and six separate pending corruption trials.<\/p>\n Recently, however, Lula became a more polarising figure as the economy struggled and multiple corruption allegations against him and his leftist party emerged, creating widespread anger amongst the electorate. According to the polling institute Datafolha, 53% want him jailed.<\/p>\n The decision is a serious blow to the political survival of Brazil\u2019s first working-class president, whose career from a factory shop floor to high office is sinking in the corruption scandals that have rocked the political establishment and especially his party, which held power from 2003 until 2016.<\/p>\n Brazilian society remains deeply divided after\u00a0Lula\u2019s successor Dilma Rousseff was impeached<\/a>\u00a0and removed from office amid a corruption scandal and an economic crisis. Her successor, the current president Michel Temer, avoided standing trial before the supreme court last year when when allies in congress shielded him from charges of corruption, obstruction of justice and organised crime.<\/p>\n Lula\u2019s supporters, made up of groups of leftwing social movements and trade union members, gathered in the capital, Brasilia, on Wednesday, while thousands of anti-Lula protesters took to the streets of 100 Brazilian cities the night before.<\/p>\n