President says son will get no special treatment
Brazil’s Supreme Court authorized a federal police investigation Friday into Fábio Luís Lula da Silva, the son of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, over allegations he sought to influence Health Ministry decisions involving the commercialization of medical marijuana.
Justice André Mendonça approved the investigation at the request of the Federal Police, according to reports from Brazilian media. Authorities will examine whether Lula’s son, widely known as “Lulinha,” acted on behalf of lobbyist Antônio Carlos Camilo Antunes and another businesswoman in negotiations involving programs linked to the Health Ministry, according to Infobae.
Speaking on the Inteligência Ltda. podcast after the decision became public, President Lula said his son would receive no special treatment if the allegations were substantiated.
“If my son is accused of something, he will receive the same treatment as anyone else. He will have no privileges,” the president said, according to remarks reported by Brazilian media.
Lula added that he would never ask police or a judge to interfere in the case and said his son would have to prove his innocence through the legal process.
“If he is guilty, he will have to pay what everyone pays when they make a mistake,” he said.
According to Folha de S.Paulo, the investigation is linked to a broader probe involving Antunes, who has been jailed since September on allegations of participating in a large fraud scheme targeting Brazilian pensioners. The scandal previously led to the dismissal of the social security minister and the head of Brazil’s National Social Security Institute.
No charges have been filed against Lula’s son, and the Supreme Court’s decision authorizes only the opening of a federal police investigation.
The investigation comes as Brazil’s presidential campaign intensifies ahead of the October election, in which Lula is seeking another term.