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| Brazilian former President (2003-2011) Luiz Inacio Lula Da Silva during a rally in support of Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Brazil’s Supreme Court said on October 6, 2016 that ex-president Luiz Ignacio Lula da Silva will be probed for alleged membership in a crime ring that organized the mass looting of the state oil company Petrobras. / AFP PHOTO / CHRISTOPHE SIMON |
A Brazilian Supreme Court justice on Thursday rejected the latest appeal by jailed former president Lula da Silva that he be allowed to run in next month’s election.
Justice Edson Fachin, in a decision posted on the court’s website, ruled against the request from Lula’s legal team, which argued that Brazil was required to follow the recommendation of the UN Human Rights Committee and allow Lula to run for office from jail.
Lula, Brazil’s most popular politician, is serving a 12-year sentence for a corruption conviction.
His Workers Party registered him as its presidential candidate for the Oct. 7 vote anyway, saying he is innocent.
Lula is ineligible for office under Brazil’s “Clean Slate” law, which prohibits candidates from running if they have convictions that have been upheld on appeal.
In spite of his conviction and several graft cases pending against him, Lula leads the race by a long stretch, with 39 per cent of voter support, according to pollster Datafolha.
Thursday’s decision was another blow to Lula’s effort to run and pushes the PT closer to choosing former Sao Paulo mayor Fernando Haddad, now running as vice president on the ticket, to stand for the presidency.
By Reuters
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