Lula's Caravan Shot at in Southern Brazil

Brazilian authorities have confirmed that the Caravan for Lula three-bus convoy was shot at least multiple times late Tuesday as it traveled between the cities of Quedas del Iguazu and Laranjeiras do Sul in the southern state of Parana, teleSUR corespondent, André Vieira, said. 

Related:
 Brazil's Workers Party to File Complaint After Caravan Violence

Caravan members traveling in the convoy said they were unaware that the vehicle had been shot at until they sustained a flat tire. Upon examining the exterior of the bus, it was discovered that a large metal spike was lodged in one of the tires.

Journalists and other occupants of the caravan found several bullets had perforated the body of the bus, Vieira's report disclosed.

Earlier today Workers Party (PT) president Gleisi Hoffmann said the organization would be filing a complaint to an international court detailing the series of violent attack committed against ex-President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva’s caravan and the authorities’ lack of protection of the former president.

Experts confirm that the caravan was hit by three shots from a firearm. #LulaForSouth #LulaForBrasil 

Last Friday, police did not show up to a planned peaceful gathering headed by the candidate in Passo Fundo, where opposition supporters clashed with demonstrators who reportedly threw sticks, stones, and chains at the caravan forcing Lula to cancel his visit to the city.

The shooting incident revealed the caravan’s lack of police protection.

Hoffmann, said of the violent event, "Our caravan was the victim of a shooting. One of our buses had a flat tire and then we saw there were two shots on the bus and one that had scraped the bus. We didn’t expect this level of violence and we don’t have protection."

In addition to the shots, the tires were punctured with metals pegs. #LulaForSouth #LulaForBrasil

Parana is the only state in which the caravan was without a police escort.

"The powerful can kill one, two or three roses, but they can never stop spring from coming," Lula told a crowd of supporters in Quedas del Iguazu, just hours before the incident.