Ex-brazilian president fails to surrender to police

SÃO BERNARDO DO CAMPO: Former Brazilian president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva defied an order to turn himself in to police on Friday, instead remaining with supporters at a metallurgical union that was the spiritual birthplace of his rise to power.

The once popular leader who rose from poverty to lead Latin America’s largest nation had until 5pm local time to present himself to police in Curitiba to begin serving a 12 year and one month sentence for a corruption conviction.

Hours after the deadline Da Silva remained inside the union building in the São Paulo suburb of São Bernardo do Campo, north-east of Curitiba. Party leaders said he would speak in the late afternoon, but later said he would not.

Federal judge Sérgio Moro, seen by many in Brazil as a crusader against endemic graft, ordered Da Silva to present himself to police.

Two sources close to Da Silva said the former leader would not go to Curitiba, but instead was considering either waiting for police at the union or presenting himself in Sao Paulo yesterday. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to share internal deliberations.

Forcing Da Silva out would have been a logistical nightmare, given the thousands of supporters outside. “The intention is not to force compliance at any cost, but follow the order the best way possible, with tranquillity and without a media show,” Luis Antonio Boudens, president of the federal police, said.

Senator Roberto Requiao said Da Silva planned to attend a commemoration yesterday morning for his late wife, to be held at the union.

Last year, Moro convicted Da Silva of trading favours with a construction company in exchange for the promise of a beachfront apartment. That conviction was upheld by an appeals court in January. – Ap/african News Agency (ANA)