Brazil's Lula will turn himself in to police
SAO BERNARDO DO CAMPO - Former Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva told thousands of supporters Saturday that he would turn himself in to police, but also maintained his innocence and argued his corruption conviction was simply a way for enemies to make sure he doesn't run—and possibly win—re-election in October.
The public comments were da Silva's first since the Supreme Federal Tribunal, the country's top court, ruled against his petition Thursday to remain free while he continued to appeal his conviction.
Judge Sergio Moro, who oversees many of the so-called "Car Wash" cases, ordered an arrest warrant for da Silva, giving him until 5pm Friday to present himself to police in Curitiba, about 260 miles (417 kilometers) southwest of Sao Bernardo do Campo.
Da Silva did no such thing. Instead, he hunkered down with supporters in the same metallurgical union that was the spiritual birthplace of his improbable rise to power in one of the world's most unequal countries.
