Former president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has been sentenced to 12 years in prison over bribery and corruption charges

BRASÍLIA, Brazil – Brazil's top electoral court said it would make a decision Friday, August 31 on jailed former president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva's eligibility to run in October's presidential elections, a source told AFP. After a marathon session, which began on Friday and concluded in the early hours of Saturday, the Superior Electoral Court deemed Lula's candidacy to be ineligible under Brazil's "Clean Slate" law, which forbids those with appeals court convictions from running for office. "We will present all appeals before the courts for the recognition of the rights of Lula provided by law and international treaties ratified by Brazil," said the party in a statement. Mr. da Silva was convicted of corruption and money laundering last year after he was accused of accepting a seaside condo remodeled to his liking as a bribe. Lula retains great popularity in Brazil after a successful spell in the presidency from 2003-10, but his Workers' Party's plan B looks hopeless as former Sao Paulo governor Fernando Haddad, who will stand if Lula is barred, commands little popular support.
The Superior Electoral Court of Brazil rules that former President and Workers' Party (PT) presidential candidate Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva cannot run in the election because he does not qualify under the Clean Slate law. The Court also ruled that PT cannot run political ads featuring Lula.