Brazilian Federal Judge Has Ordered The Release Of Former President Lula da Silva From Jail

Former Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva arrives at the metallurgical trade union while the Brazilian court decides on his appeal against a corruption conviction that could bar him from running in the 2018 presidential race, in Sao Bernardo do Campo, Brazil January 24, 2018. REUTERS/Leonardo Benassatto

New York Times: Judge Orders Brazil to Release Ex-President Lula, Setting Off Legal Uproar

RIO DE JANEIRO — A judge in Brazil ruled on Sunday that former President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva be released from prison while he continues to appeal a corruption conviction, an unexpected decision that touched off an immediate legal and political uproar. Whether the order for Mr. da Silva’s would take effect was not at all clear.

The order was the latest twist in the tumultuous lead-up to Brazil’s presidential election in October.

Even from prison, Mr. da Silva holds a lead in the polls. He is hoping to be on the ballot even though the corruption conviction for which he is serving a 12-year sentence makes him legally ineligible to run for office.

On Sunday, a federal judge, Rogério Favreto, who has ties to Mr. da Silva’s leftist Workers’ Party, ordered the former president’s release.

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Update #1: Former Brazil President Lula to be released from prison: court (Reuters)
Update #2: Lula: Judge orders Brazil ex-president to be freed (BBC)

WNU Editor: According to the New York Times, the Brazilian Federal Judge who ordered the release of the former Brazilian President has deep ties to Mr. da Silva’s leftist Workers’ Party, and that his ruling was politically biased. A reader of WNU who lives in Brazil gave me aheads-up on this story this morning, and he does not belevie that even with this ruling, the government will release the former Brazilian President.

Update #3: The judge who sentenced former Brazilian Presdient Da Silva and who must sign-off on this new court order has already indicated that he will not. Former President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva will remain in jail.