Brazil top court judge rejects motion to maintain Lula's candidacy

FILE PHOTO: Former Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva gestures during a joint rally organized by left-wing political parties in Rio de Janeiro
FILE PHOTO: Former Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva gestures during a joint rally organized by left-wing political parties in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil April 2, 2018. REUTERS/Ricardo Moraes/File photo (Reuters)

BRASILIA (Reuters) - Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Celso de Mello on Thursday rejected a motion to maintain jailed former president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva's bid to run for president, court documents seen by Reuters showed.

Reuters had reported earlier on Thursday that Lula was likely to give up his candidacy in favour of current vice-presidential candidate Fernando Haddad after Supreme Court Justice Edson Fachin rejected a similar appeal.

(Reporting by Ricardo Brito; Writing by Bruno Federowski, Editing by Rosalba O'Brien)