Former Brazil president Lula is freed from prison after ruling by Supreme Court

His fist thrust in the air, former President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva of Brazil triumphantly walked out of prison Friday, after the Supreme Court issued a broad ruling that allows defendants to remain free while their appeals are pending.

Though da Silva cannot run for office unless his criminal convictions are overturned, his mere release could upend Brazil’s politics by pitting him as a fiery, leftist rival to President Jair Bolsonaro, whose far-right policies have left the country deeply polarized.

The charismatic da Silva, 74, universally known as Lula, is widely expected to plunge back into the political fray, bolstered by his long-standing popularity: As president, he launched programs that lifted millions out of poverty, expanded access to higher education and promoted racial equality.