The eyes of the world are on Brazil, waiting to see what the decision of former president Lula da Silva will be. Just a few hours before the expiry of judge Sergio Moro's ultimatum. Lula will have until 17 pm (22 pm in Italy) to "voluntarily surrender" to the Federal Police in Curitiba - avoiding the shame of a public arrest - and begin serving the 12-year sentence for corruption. But the former president does not seem willing to do so.
According to the latest rumors, Lula will wait for the police to pick him up at the headquarters of the metallurgical union Abc in Sao Bernardo dos Campos, on the outskirts of Sao Paulo, where thousands of people have gathered to demonstrate and support him.
“If they want to get him, let them come and get him here, in the midst of his people – said Workers' Party (PT) senator Lindbergh Farias referring to the union headquarters -. Lula is innocent, and an innocent man doesn't give himself up that way."
Lula's former press officer Ricardo Kotscho also confirmed his intention not to turn himself in, in a brief interview with the Folha de Sao Paulo newspaper.
We recall that the prison order was issued yesterday afternoon for the former metal worker who became president at the head of his Workers' Party, after the Supreme Court of Brazil rejected the appeal he presented. On January 24, Lula was sentenced to 12 years in prison by the Porto Alegre Court of Appeal for corruption and money laundering. According to the judges, the former president received a three-story apartment in the coastal city of Guarujà. by construction giant OAS, as an advance on a $2,2 million bribe in exchange for guarantees on major contracts at state oil company Petrobras and other public works.
