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Saturday, March 5, 2016 

Brazil

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Official Presidential portrait.
Image: Agência Brasil.

Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, former President of Brazil, was arrested yesterday as part of ongoing investigations into corruption related to Petrobras, the state-run oil company. A raid occurred at 0600 local time (0900 GMT) at a number of locations including President Lula’s house in São Bernardo do Campo, near São Paulo. President Lula was held for questioning for three hours before being released.

The former president is alleged to have been involved in corruption at the state oil company including kickbacks from suppliers including both cash payments and property. The current president, Dilma Rousseff, said Lula’s arrest was “unnecessary”. President Rousseff is currently undergoing impeachment proceedings and is also alleged to also be involved in the Petrobras bribery accusations by investigators conducting Operação Lava Jato (Operation Car Wash).

After Lula’s release, he described his arrest and detention as “judicial authoritarianism”. He told reporters: “If they wanted to hear from me, they only had to call and I would have gone, because I owe nothing to anyone and fear nothing […] They preferred to show power, arrogance, to make a show.”

Sources[]

• AFP/PTI. “Brazil’s ex-president Lula defiant after detention” — Business Standard, March 5, 2016
• Brad Haynes and Anthony Boadle. “Brazil’s Lula detained in corruption probe; Rousseff objects” — Reuters, March 5, 2016
• “Why is Brazil ex-leader Lula caught up in corruption scandal?” — BBC News Online, March 4, 2016