Brazilians protest after Lula named chief of staff, gains immunity

[Lodestar]

Source: Reuters

Protests erupted in several Brazilian cities on Wednesday after President Dilma Rousseff named her predecessor Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva chief of staff and a taped conversation fed opposition claims the move was meant to shield Lula from prosecution.

In the capital Brasilia, riot police fired pepper spray at more than 5,000 demonstrators who filled the streets outside the presidential palace and Congress building. They waved banners calling for the leftist leader's resignation and Lula's arrest.

Thousands more demonstrators packed the main Avenue Paulista in Sao Paulo, Brazil's financial hub, which was the center of national protests on Sunday that drew more than 1 million people onto the streets in a call for Rousseff's departure.

With Brazil's economy mired in its worst recession in a generation, popular anger at Rousseff is mounting as an investigation into bribes and political kickbacks at state oil company Petrobras (PETR4.SA) taints her inner circle.

"I am here for the future of my children, grandchildren and great grandchildren," said Vera Carneiro, 75, draped in a yellow-and-green Brazilian flag outside the presidency. "Dilma has to go. She and Lula both. Enough is enough."

Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/us-brazil-rousseff-idUSKCN0WI1T0

[nyabingi]

1. For a different perspective

on what's happening in Brazil, a perspective other than the Western slant, try this article:

http://www.globalresearch.ca/whos-protesting-in-brazil-and-why/5443015

[muriel_volestrangler]

2. Brazil Judge Suspends Lula's Appointment to Rousseff Cabinet

A federal judge in Brazil issued an injunction to suspend the appointment of Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva as President Dilma Rousseff’s chief of staff, further deepening a political crisis that has paralyzed Latin America’s largest nation.

Judge Itagiba Catta Preta Neto from Brasilia argued that Lula’s appointment could lead to his interference in police and judicial activities, according to a copy of the decision. He also said that Rousseff may have broken administrative laws. The attorney general’s office said in a statement it will appeal the injunction. The presidential press office declined to comment on the suspension of the cabinet appointment.

The injunction underscores the volatile political situation in Brazil, where Rousseff is struggling to remain in power amid rising clamor for her ouster. Lawmakers are scheduled to meet Thursday afternoon to form a multi-party committee that will recommend whether to impeach her, as thousands of protesters in major cities rallied asking for her removal.
...
Vice President Michel Temer skipped the event, increasing speculation that his PMDB party, the largest in Congress, would depart from the ruling coalition.

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-03-17/brazilian-judge-suspends-lula-nomination-to-rousseff-cabinet