Lula's Brazil Resembles A Familiar African Country

[Kim Jong-Un's Pajama Pants]

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It is run by thugs. 

(CNN)A Brazilian federal judge moved Thursday to block the controversial swearing-in of former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva as chief of staff to President Dilma Rousseff -- the latest twist in the country's deepening political crisis.

"Lula," as the two-time former president is known, was sworn into the Cabinet post earlier Thursday amid heated protests by opponents, who say the move is an attempt to shield him from a corruption investigation.

Under Brazilian law, senior political figures can only be tried in the Supreme Federal Court, meaning any prosecution against Lula da Silva would effectively be delayed if he were chief of staff.

The swearing-in took place amid chaotic scenes in Brazil's capital, Brasilia, with protesters shouting "shame" while government supporters sang "Lula" to the tune of a soccer chant.

However, a federal judge in Brasilia, Itagiba Catta Preta Neto, swiftly issued a preliminary injunction to suspend Lula da Silva's swearing-in on the grounds his appointment prevented the "free exercise of the Judiciary Power, the operation of the Federal Police and of the Federal Prosecutor's Office."

Brazil prosecutors want to detain ex-President Lula da Silva

In response, Brazil's attorney general said he would appeal the injunction, state-run news agency Agencia Brasil reported.

Amid the dramatic scenes at the swearing-in ceremony, three people were arrested when pro- and anti-government factions clashed in front of the Presidential Palace in Brasilia and had to be dispersed by military police, the news agency said.

The ceremony took place a day after mass protests calling on Rousseff to resign, following another judge's release of an explosive secretly recorded phone conversation between her and Lula da Silva on Wednesday.

Rousseff's opponents said the call lends support to their allegation that the former president's appointment to the Cabinet post is to help give him greater legal immunity from federal prosecutors, handing him a trump card against investigators.

Rousseff denied the accusation, saying there is an innocent explanation for the conversation.

Her Workers' Party has become ensnared in a wide-ranging graft probe centered on state-run oil company Petrobras -- an operation known as "Car Wash."

Nearly two weeks ago, federal police questioned Lula da Silva -- Rousseff's predecessor as president and close political ally -- on suspicion he benefited from the scheme and raided his home.

Separately, state prosecutors in Sao Paulo charged him with money laundering and requested preventive detention.

http://www.cnn.com/2016/03/17/americas/brazil-rousseff-lula-tapes/

[Georgesoros]

omg. i was thinking about that too when i heard the story on NPR..

[Globalcitizen12]

Watching BBC last night this seems to be a national corruption purge that has ensnared Roself and Lula. Political analysts say that the government will fall before 2018. So Lula will be prosecuted. Brazil is trying to end the vicious cycle of corruption. Hoping this purge will do it.  According to the report already hundreds of oligarchs and other wheel dealers have been jailed.

[gout]

Latin America counter revolution ..... When issues of corruption are talked about am very suspicious especially in sectors like oil where there are lots of global interests and all sort of economic conspiracies

[Globalcitizen12]

can you elaborate.Lula  was supposed to be a leftist president but I think he became a centrist. I need to read more on what they are accussed of stealing

[Omollo]

The country's institutions are being tested.