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‘Brazil’s Supreme Court has blocked former President Lula da Silva from becoming chief of staff to President Dilma Rousseff amid ongoing corruption probes. The ruling could stoke new tensions in Brazil, plagued by anti-government demonstrations.
Earlier this month, Silva, often referred to as one of the most popular politicians in Brazil’s history, was brought in for questioning in an investigation into an alleged kickback scheme in the state oil company Petrobras. Should he become a cabinet minister, he can only be prosecuted with the approval of the Supreme Court.
The 70-year-old heavyweight politician was sworn in as chief aide to Rousseff on Thursday, in an effort to help her win back working-class supporters during the worst economic recession in decades.’