SAO PAULO, July 8 (Xinhua) -- Another Brazilian federal judge on Sunday blocked a ruling that called for ex-President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva to be released from prison.
Carlos Thompson Flores, president of Brazil's Federal Regional Court 4, overruled the decision issued earlier in the day by Judge Rogerio Favreto, who belongs to the same appellate court.
Favreto's decision was also blocked by Judge Joao Pedro Gebran Neto, who earlier ordered authorities to "abstain from carrying out any action that changes the collegial decision" that led to Lula's conviction and sentence.
Earlier Favreto accepted an appeal by three deputies belonging to Lula's Workers' Party (PT) and called for his "urgent" release from a federal police holding facility in Curitiba, capital of Parana state, where he has served three months of his sentence.
Lula was convicted of taking bribes from Brazilian construction giant Odebrecht in the form of a luxury beachfront apartment, in return granting the company juicy public works contracts.
His supporters say the accusations were politically motivated to prevent Lula from running for a third term in the October presidential elections.
Sunday's judicial impasse was the latest twist in the legal saga that has derailed Lula's ambitions to run in the elections.
