Brazil: Lula supporters to protest nationwide April 5-7

Event

Supporters of jailed former President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva will hold demonstrations across Brazil from Friday, April 5, through Sunday, April 7, to mark the anniversary of his imprisonment. Former São Paulo mayor and 2018 presidential candidate, Fernando Haddad, will lead a caravan from Porto Alegre (Rio Grande do Sul state) beginning Friday. It will pass through Florianópolis (Santa Catarina state) on Saturday, April 6, before arriving at Curitiba (Paraná state) on Sunday. A large protest will be held near the Federal Police headquarters in Curitiba, where Lula is serving his prison sentence. Associated protests are also planned in several other cities on Sunday, including Maceió (Alagoas state), Salvador (Bahia state), Fortaleza (Ceará state), Brasilia, Recife (Pernambuco state), Belém (Pará state), Rio de Janeiro (Rio de Janeiro state), Natal (Rio Grande de Norte state), Porto Alegre, and São Paulo (São Paulo state). A heightened security presence and localized disruptions are likely near any protest locations.

Context

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. Lula was convicted on corruption charges in July 2017, and again in January 2018, and sentenced to 12 years in prison.

Advice

Individuals in Brazil are advised to monitor the situation, avoid all demonstrations as a precaution, and anticipate a heightened security presence and localized disruptions.