Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva: Brazil's former president sworn in as Dilma Rousseff’s chief of staff despite leak of phone calls

Leftist leader Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva was formally sworn in as President Dilma Rousseff’s chief of staff, hours after a judge angered his supporters by releasing 50 recordings of his phone-tapped calls.

Phone conversations between Brazil’s former president and prominent public figures including Ms Rousseff suggest there were attempts to curry favour concerning the mounting legal case against him, according to the magistrate leading the corruption investigation into the state-run Petrobras oil company.

Sérgio Moro said: “I observe that in some dialogues, there is talk apparently of attempting to influence or obtain help from officials in the public prosecutor’s office or the magistrate in favour of the ex-president.” However, the magistrate added “there is no indication... that those mentioned in fact proceeded in an inappropriate manner... From the tenor of the taped conversations, it is clear the ex-president already knew, or at least suspected he was being taped”.

Prosecutors have charged the ex-president (best known as Lula), who was Ms Rousseff’s political mentor, with money laundering and fraud as part of the Petrobras probe – but his appointment to the government provides him immunity from prosecution by all but the Supreme Court.

A second federal judge issued an injunction to suspend the appointment on the grounds it prevented “the free exercise of justice”. The government can appeal against the injunction in a higher court but the judge’s move has further heightened tensions between the executive and judiciary.

During the swearing-in ceremony, Ms Rousseff said the release of the taped conversation between her and Lula was illegal and anti-democratic. “Convulsing Brazilian society with lies, with reprehensible practices, violates constitutional rights and as well as the rights of citizens,” she said.

The magistrate, Mr Moro, justified it by saying democracies “demand that the people know what their officials are doing, even when they attempt to act under the cover of shadow.”

It was the latest twist in a dramatic saga that has drawn comparisons to the country’s famous prime-time soap operas, known as “novelas”. Lula’s appointment came after days of intense speculation about the move. Ms Rousseff vehemently denied he accepted the post to delay investigations against him. “It doesn’t mean that he will not be investigated,” she said. “It’s a question of whom he will be investigated by.”

Reuters