- Title: Brazilians protest in defence of Lula after corruption conviction
- Date: 20th July 2017
- Summary: RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL (JULY 20, 2017) (REUTERS) GENERAL VIEW OF PROTESTERS GATHERED IN LOCAL SQUARE PROTESTER WAVING "OUT WITH TEMER" FLAG PROTESTER HOLDING UP SIGN THAT READS "OUT WITH TEMER" PROTESTER HOLDING UP PLACARD THAT READS "OUT WITH MORO (JUDGE), OUT WITH THE CIA USA, CADE (BRAZIL ANTITRUST WATCHDOG) AND PSDB (BRAZILIAN SOCIAL DEMOCRACY PARTY) IN THE LAVAJATO (PROBE)" PROTESTERS GATHERED IN LOCAL SQUARE MAN WEARING SHIRT WITH IMAGE OF FORMER PRESIDENT LULA (SOUNDBITE) (Portuguese) LULA SUPPORTER AND PROTESTER, MARCOS ANTONIO PEREIRA, SAYING: "Long live democracy, we will defend our companion Lula. The charges set by Judge Sergio Moro are lies, Sergio Moro needs to go." SIGN WITH HASHTAG #LULAINNOCENT FLAG FROM LULA'S WORKERS PARTY WITH HASHTAG "LULAINNOCENT" STUCK ON IT PROTESTERS HOLDING UP BANNER THAT READS "WITHOUT PARTICIPATION THERE IS NO VICTORY" PROTESTERS GATHERED FOR PROTEST IN LOCAL SQUARE POLICE LINED UP ON FOOTPATH NEAR PROTEST POLICE LOOKING AT PROTESTERS GATHERED IN LOCAL SQUARE BRAZILIAN FLAG BEING WAVED AT PROTEST PROTESTERS GATHERED AT RALLY TO SUPPORT LULA GENERAL VIEW OF PROTESTERS GATHERED OUTSIDE COLONIAL ERA BUILDING FOR PROTEST
- Embargoed: 3rd August 2017 23:24
- Keywords: Brazil protest corruption elections President Michel Temer former president Luiz Inacio Lala de Silva conviction
- Location: RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL
- City: RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL
- Country: Brazil
- Topics: Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA0016QIXOHV
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Protesters gathered in Rio de Janeiro on Thursday (July 20) in support of former Brazilian leader Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who was convicted on corruption charges earlier this month and sentenced to nearly 10 years in prison.
The ruling marked a stunning fall for Lula, one of the country's most popular politicians, and a serious blow to his chances of a political comeback. The former union leader won global praise for policies to reduce stinging inequality in Brazil. But protesters angry at conservative President Michel Temer have accused presiding judge Sergio Moro of handing down a politically-motivated sentence on Lula.
Judge Moro found Lula, 71, guilty of accepting 3.7 million reais ($1.2 million) worth of bribes from engineering firm OAS SA, the amount of money prosecutors said the company spent refurbishing a beach apartment for Lula in return for his help winning contracts with state oil company Petroleo Brasileiro. Lula has said he is innocent of the charges and will appeal the conviction.
The verdict represented the highest-profile conviction yet in a sweeping corruption investigation that for over three years has rattled Brazil, revealing a sprawling system of graft at top levels of business and government, including in Temer's government. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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