Brazilian court allows former president to attend grandson’s funeral

RIO DE JANEIRO, March 2 — A Brazilian judge on Friday allowed former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva to attend the funeral of his grandson who died from meningitis.
Seven-year-old Arthur Araujo Lula da Silva died Friday morning. Former President Lula was allowed to attend the wake and funeral, which will be held on Saturday in Brazil’s southern state of Sao Paulo, where the majority of Lula’s family resides.
Lula will travel by plane and be escorted to the funeral ceremonies.
Lawyers for the former president promised “not to share any information relating to the travel path,” and said they will provide the location of the burial “directly to police.”
Under Brazil’s law, a person serving a prison sentence may be allowed to temporarily leave prison to attend the funeral of a close relative, such as a parent, sibling, child or grandchild.
During Brazil’s military dictatorship, when Lula was imprisoned for his trade union activities, he was allowed to leave prison to attend the funeral of his mother.
However, last year, judge Carolina Lebbos denied Lula’s request to leave prison to attend the funeral of one of his brothers. Lula’s lawyers appealed to a superior court, which allowed him to attend the funeral, but by that time, Lula’s brother had already been buried.
This time, Judge Lebbos decided to allow Lula to attend his grandson’s funeral.
The former president is serving a 12-year-and-one-month prison sentence in Curitiba for passive corruption and money laundering. His defense has maintained his innocence and insists that the former head of state is a victim of political persecution. – XINHUA