BRAZIL EX- PREZ GIVEN 24 HRS TO START JAIL TERM

Sao Paulo, April 5: Brazil’s former president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, once one of the most popular politicians on the planet, was given 24 hours to surrender to police and start a 12 year prison sentence for corruption.

The timing of the order from Judge Sergio Moro, head of Brazil’s huge “Car Wash” anti- graft probe, came as a complete surprise, given that lawyers said earlier that the Leftist former two- term president had at least until next week before going behind bars.

Lula, 72, easily leads polls in Brazil’s October presidential election and his apparent downfall will throw the race completely open. Currently, hardright former army officer Jair Bolsonaro, who openly praises Brazil’s 19641985 dictatorship, is in second place. Moro’s order said that in view of Lula’s stature as an ex- president, he will get “the opportunity to present himself voluntarily” to police in Curitiba, where the probe is based, by 5 pm ( 2000 GMT) on Friday.