Brazil's Supreme Court Allows Investigation into President Lula's Son for Influence Peddling

Brazil's Federal Police have received authorization from the Supreme Court to investigate Fábio Luís Lula da Silva, the eldest son of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, on suspicion of influence peddling. The investigation, reported by local media, focuses on allegations that Lulinha intervened in processes related to obtaining permits for the commercialization of medicinal cannabis.

According to the newspaper 'Folha de São Paulo,' the investigation stems from a request by the Federal Police to clarify Lulinha's alleged actions in dealings with programs connected to the Ministry of Health. This probe into the president's son emerges just as the official campaign for the upcoming October presidential elections is set to begin, in which President Lula is a leading candidate seeking a non-consecutive fourth term.

Authorities suspect that Lulinha may have acted on behalf of lobbyist Antônio Carlos Camilo Antunes in negotiations with the Ministry of Health. This is reportedly linked to a separate corruption scandal involving the National Institute of Social Security (INSS), which is investigating the alleged diversion of billions of reais in benefits. While Lulinha is not formally under investigation in the INSS case, his alleged ties to Camilo Antunes, known as 'Careca do INSS,' have surfaced.

Lulinha's lawyer, Marco Aurélio de Carvalho, has dismissed the new investigation, suggesting it arises from a lack of findings in the previous INSS-related scandal. The authorization from Supreme Court Justice André Mendonça specifically pertains to negotiations between the lobbyist and the Ministry of Health, where police believe Lulinha may have exerted influence on behalf of Antunes and another associate.