Brazil: Large protest in Porto Alegre April 6 /update 5

Event

A large protest related to recent court ruling ordering the incarceration of former Brazilian President Luiz Inacio "Lula" da Silva is scheduled to take place in Porto Alegre (Rio Grande do Sul state) on Friday, April 6. According to the US Mission to Brazil, the protest is planned to begin at Esquina Democrática at 17:00 (local time) and may potentially run until midnight. Additional Lula-related demonstrations, as well as heightened security measures and transportation disruptions, are possible in Porto Alegre and other major Brazilian cities in the coming hours and days.

Context

The highly anticipated Supreme Court ruling ordering Lula's incarceration was made in the early morning hours of April 5. Lula had been sentenced to 12 years in prison in rulings made in July 2017 and January 2018 but had remained free as he exhausted the appeals process. On the afternoon of April 6, Lula initially defied the deadline to turn himself into police in his hometown of Sao Bernardo do Campo as demonstrators assembled nearby in support. Latest reports on April 6 claim that Lula is currently negotiating the terms of his surrender with police.

Lula was president from 2003 to 2011 and, as the country's first working-class ruler, was and remains a popular figure among much of the population. Despite his conviction, which would technically prohibit him from running in the upcoming October 7 presidential elections, he has been nominated by the Workers' Party (PT) as their presidential candidate. Lula and the PT have characterized his conviction as a political witch-hunt intended to keep him out of office.

Advice

Individuals in Brazil are advised to keep abreast of developments, and the sociopolitical climate more generally, and avoid all protests due to the potential for violence. Adhere to all instructions issued by the local authorities.