Court Dismisses Criminal Charges Against Lula and his Brother

SÃO PAULO, BRAZIL – The São Paulo 7th District Federal Criminal Court yesterday, September 16th, rejected the denunciation lodged by the Federal Prosecutor’s Office (MPF) against former President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, and his brother José Ferreira da Silva, known as Frei Chico. The MPF had charged both with passive corruption.

According to the MPF, between 2003 and 2015, Frei Chico, a trade unionist with a career in the oil sector, received more than R$1 million (US$250,000) in undisclosed payments, ranging from R$3,000 to R$5,000, which were part of a package of undue advantages offered to Lula in exchange for benefits obtained by Odebrecht from the federal government.

Federal judge Ali Mazloum ruled the charges were baseless, based on mere interpretations and assumptions. “There is no evidence that Lula knew about the continuity of payments to Frei Chico with no counterpart of services rendered, much less that such payments were made due to his position as President in 2003,” he added.

The court further rejected the charges against three other Odebrecht executives for alleged active corruption: Emilio and Marcelo Odebrecht, owners of the Odebrecht contractor, and Alexandrino de Salles Ramos Alencar, the company’s former legal director.