Brazil: Shooting at Lula protest site in Curitiba April 28 /update 10

Event

Gunfire broke out at a sit-in by supporters of former President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (Lula) in Curitiba (Paraná state), on Saturday, April 28. The shooting, in which at least one person was wounded, occurred in front of the federal police headquarters where Lula has been detained since April 7, and where Lula supporters have been camped out since his detention. Lula’s Workers’ Party (PT) has called the incident a politically-motivated “fascist attack.”

Similar violence occurred in March when Lula was on a campaign tour of Rio Grande do Sul, Paraná, and Santa Catarina states.

Pro-Lula demonstrations are expected in Curitiba and elsewhere in the country on May 1, International Workers’ Day.

Context

Lula, currently serving a 12-year prison sentence on corruption charges, was president from 2003 to 2011. As the country's first working-class ruler, he 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 chosen by the 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 Curitiba, and Brazil more generally, are advised to avoid the police headquarters and all associated demonstrations due to the potential for violence, and keep abreast of developments and the sociopolitical climate.