Judge Moro Decides to Postpone Former President Lula's Testimony in Lava Jato

04/25/2017 - 11h05

Sergio Moro, the Judge responsible for the Lava Jato (Car Wash) Investigation in Curitiba, decided to change the date for the testimony set for former president Lula, which had been scheduled for the 3rd of May.

The Federal Police, who had requested the change, argued that they needed more time to set up security at the locale and that the May 1st holiday would complicate the operation.

The new date set for the testimony is the 10th of May.

The Workers Party (PT) and movements aligned with it have been preparing a major mobilization in support of the former president. Monitoring being carried out by the police revealed that close to 50 thousand people would likely move on the Federal Judiciary's headquarters in support of Lula.

Public actions against the former president were also expected.

Folha discovered that one of the objectives was to keep the change in scheduling secret in an attempt to demobilize the social movements that were set to move on the Capital of Paraná in support of the PT leader.

Lula is to be heard in the case in which he is accused of receiving improper benefits from the OAS construction company. Among them is the triplex apartment in Guarujá (State of SP) which was made available to the PT leader's family.

In the accusation presented to Moro, prosecutors declared that the former president received R$ 3,7 million (US$ 1,17 million) in bribes paid by OAS related to contracts originating at Petrobras.

According to the accusation, the money was invested in a renovation of the triplex carried out by OAS. In Brasília on Monday, the former president said that he isn't worried about the date of his testimony. "Whenever he sets it, I'll be in Curitiba."

The PT leader declared that the proof that exists against him in the case is "a toll" and that the time has come to "stop the chatter" and "prove" that he received any money illegally.

Among the documents presented are the registrations for two cars in the name of the Instituto Lula (Lula Institute) that passed through the automatic toll charging stations along the way to Guarujá between 2011 and 2013.

There is no information, however, that proves that the trips were being made to the apartment under investigation.

Translated by LLOYD HARDER

Read the article in the original language