"A judge ordered former Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva be released from jail following a high-profile court decision reversing rules for imprisoning convicts.
Judge Danilo Pereira Junior said on Friday the leftist leader could leave jail in the southern city of Curitiba where he's been since 2018 serving a sentence for corruption, according to a court document. Lula's lawyers had filed a petition calling for his release after the Supreme Court ruled late on Thursday that convicted criminals should be incarcerated only after all their appeals are exhausted.
The move thrusts the charismatic and highly-influential 74 year-old politician back into the spotlight at a highly polarized time in Brazilian politics. Domestic law still prevents Lula from running for public office due to his conviction, but there's a concern his presence may galvanize the left in their opposition to rival President Jair Bolsonaro and the market-friendly policies his administration is pursuing."
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