Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Brazil's former president, has appeared in court to testify over his alleged entanglement in a sprawling corruption scandal that has thrown the country's political class into tumult.
Lula, 71, is the highest-profile defendant in the "Operation Car Wash" probe into a multi-billion-dollar bribery scheme in which politicians and officials allegedly handed out public contracts in exchange for kickbacks.
Brazil corruption probe sends shivers across Latin America
He is accused of allowing corruption to flourish between 2003-2010 during his two terms as president and of personally benefiting from the schemes, including receiving a beach apartment in return for helping the OAS construction firm win government contracts.
The hearing in the southern city of Curitiba on Wednesday was closed to the public and media. 
The former president, whose supporters had gathered in Curitiba hours before his arrival at the courthouse, has repeatedly denied all charges.
A ruling by Judge Sergio Moro, who has spearheaded Brazil's biggest-ever corruption probe, is not expected until July.
Al Jazeera's Teresa Bo, reporting from Curitiba, said that Lula supporters were not allowed to come near the courthouse.
"There is a very strong presence of security forces because there were fears that clashes could happen between the Lula supporters - there are thousands of people here - and those who support Moro, who see the judge as a champion in the fight against corruption," she said.
Bo said that ahead of Lula's appearance at the court, his lawyers had tried to postpone the hearing.
"They said that they never had enough time to review the over-100,000 pages that are attached to this case. They also tried to get Judge Moro removed from this case, saying that he isn't impartial."