The Brazilian Supreme Court has upheld a previous court decision to overturn the sentence of former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, thus voiding the guilty verdict of the court in Curitiba, Parana state.
Seven of the 11 Brazilian Supreme Court justices upheld an earlier decision to overturn the former president's sentence, and one voted against. The meeting, which is being broadcast by the Globo portal, continues.
Following the annulment of the sentences, which Lula and those around him celebrated as a success after years of legal battle, the Prosecutor's Office filed an appeal to reverse the decision and uphold Lula's sentence.
The court of the first instance justified the cancellation of the sentence by the fact that the Curitiba court does not have the authority to consider such proceedings.
Now the entire case against the politician will be considered from scratch in the Federal District Court.
Lula was released from prison in November 2019, but his political rights were stripped from him until now. The former president will now be able to run for president in the elections due in October 2022.
The incumbent Brazil president, Jair Bolsonaro, commenting on the initial annulment of the sentence, expressed his belief that "people do not want to have a candidate like that in 2022."
Experts say that Lula has a pretty good chance in the upcoming presidential race.