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takyon [soylentnews.org] writes:

A Brazilian judge has suspended the appointment of ex-President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva [npr.org] to the current President Dilma Rousseff's cabinet. The move was seen as intended to help Lula avoid corruption charges:

With a corruption and money-laundering scandal rocking Brazil, lawmakers in that nation's lower house of congress have started the formal impeachment process against President Dilma Rousseff, forming a committee to look at potential charges. But the most dramatic moments Thursday center on the presidential palace, where a ceremony to officially invest former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva as the current chief of staff "broke into chaos," NPR's Lourdes Garcia-Navarro reports. After that scene erupted, a judge issued an injunction to suspend Lula's appointment, a move that had widely been seen as an attempt by Rousseff to shield Lula from possible corruption charges.

As for Rousseff, the move to impeach her stems — for now, at least — from allegations that are separate from those besetting Lula.

[...] At the investment ceremony for Lula this morning, Lourdes says, a protester shouted, "Shame on you," — as Rousseff's party faithful chanted, "There will be no coup."

Late last night, a judge ordered the release of phone recordings [globo.com] of calls to and from Lula's phone, audio that was intercepted as part of a sweeping corruption investigation. In one short exchange recorded by federal police, Lula is heard speaking to Brazil's sitting president, with Rousseff referring to a paper she's sending him in case he needs to use it. In Brazil, many people immediately interpreted the exchange as a discussion about contingency measures to obstruct the investigation and violate the constitution.

Also at CNN [cnn.com], BBC [bbc.com]. Reuters reports [reuters.com] that the currency may be tied to the fate of President Rousseff.

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