Former Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva had his hopes of a Christmas at home dashed on Wednesday after the Supreme Court's chief justice swiftly overturned a favorable ruling.

Supreme Court Justice Marc Aurelio Mello had issued a preliminary decision that could have freed Lula while his appeal case continues.

That ruling would have overturned a law requiring people convicted of corruption be incarcerated while the decision is under appeal. The court was originally scheduled to review the law on April 10, 2019.

Lula's lawyers immediately filed a request for his release after the initial ruling.

Read more:  Who is Brazil's ex-president Lula?

Chief Justice Jose Antonio Dias Toffoli, however, quickly overturned Aurelio's ruling, saying the full court would have to take up the case after it returns from its holiday recess. 

Jailed for 12 years

Lula, who was jailed on corruption charges earlier this year, has proclaimed innocence throughout his judicial ordeal. He was sentenced to more than 12 years in jail in mid-2017, lost his first appeal in January 2018, and is scheduled to appear in court to face six further corruption charges.

The charges related to the multi-billion-dollar "car wash" corruption scandal involving state oil company Petrobras.

Lula was one of the founders of Brazil's leftist Workers' Party (PT) and was the president of Brazil from 2003 to 2011. While serving as president, Lula took advantage of the commodities boom to finance sweeping social policy changes, lifting millions of Brazilians out of poverty.

Admired by many, Lula led early voter polls in the runup to Brazil's 2018 presidential election. His prior conviction, however, ultimately led to him being barred from running.

The vote was won by far-right politician Jair Bolsonaro, who said that he would let Lula "rot in jail."

aw, js/sms (dpa, Reuters)  

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