Brazil's Lula surrenders to police, begins 12-year sentence
Former Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva turned himself in to police ending a dramatic standoff on Saturday.
Lula was seen leaving the union building where he had sought refuge while defying a court deadline to surrender to police.
The former president was taken to a jail cell in the southern city of Curitiba, where he will serve his 12-year sentence for corruption.
On Thursday, the country's top court, ruled against his petition to remain free while he continued to appeal his conviction.
The conviction against Lula stems from an anti-corruption investigation which has engulfed dozens of top politicians from several parties in Brazil.
Lula was convicted of trading favours with a construction company in exchange for a beachfront apartment last year. The former president has denied any wrongdoing in that case and other corruption cases not tried yet.