Former Brazilian president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has decided not to go to the wake of his deceased older brother after he received permission to temporarily leave prison but not attend his relative's burial.

Da Silva is serving a 12-year prison term in the southern city of Curitiba for money laundering and corruption.

His request to attend the burial had been rejected on Tuesday night by Judge Carolina Lebbos.

Supreme Court Justice Jose Antonio Dias Toffoli issued a second ruling saying da Silva could travel to meet with his relatives at a military base on Wednesday, but da Silva said he preferred not to go.

Genival Inacio da Silva died on Tuesday of cancer and was buried on Wednesday morning in Sao Paulo.