Lula's Arrest Would Prompt Upheaval, According to Brazil's Leading Activist
- Movement occupies lands linked to Temer, vows to defend Lula
- Sentenced to 9.5 years, Lula remains free pending appeal
QuickTake: Brazil's Economic Instability
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The arrest of Brazil’s former president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva would trigger widespread social upheaval and help pave the way for his re-election, according to the leader of one of the country’s largest and most radical activist groups.
"We won’t accept this type of persecution," said Joao Pedro Stedile, leader of the Marxist-inspired Movement of Landless Rural Workers (MST) that campaigns for land reform. Lula’s detention would push Brazil into a constitutional limbo, sparking protests across the country, said Stedile, whose friends included the likes of Fidel Castro and Yasser Arafat, and who was received by Pope Francis in 2014.