Anthrazitfarbener suit, serious look, short hand. The presidente is short-bound and has a much more serious and factual effect than jovial People's Tribune knows. Luiz Inácio ("Lula") da Silva, Brazil's president from 2003 to 2010, takes a seat at head of a conference table. He is not even first to take floor, but gives his lawyer right to step forward: ten minutes of short talk about Lula's legal situation.
Yes, lawyer says, "The great old man of Brazilian workers ' Movement" will have a decisive date in court next Wednesday. In second instance, three judges are judged on a corruption procedure, nine years of imprisonment was judgment of court in July. It is about a large apartment that should have left him friends in business – but it is also about future of Lula and that of whole country. The 72-year-old politician does not want to go to prison. He wants to get back to power. In 2018 presidential election, he wants to run for his old office again.
In this way, Lula wants to reverse right back that country has experienced since 2016: At that time, his chosen successor, Dilma Rousseff, was pushed into an unusual seizure of power by conservative opposition from presidential palace. She lost a vote and her successor decided without a vote on austerity programs and a policy that meets interests of industrial and large landowners.
Time Online: They claim that corruption procedures against m are all politically motivated inventions?
Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva: I cannot say much about forthcoming judge decision today – for legal reasons. But this whole process started with a lie in newspaper Globo. She wrote that this apartment belongs to me. Then Federal police filed investigations full of lies. The prosecution attacked her--a mistake. An even bigger mistake was that judge accepted m as truth. All of this gives me impression that we have more to do with a political judgement than a legal one.
Time Online: A hard accusation.
Lula: When local prosecutor presented case, without evidence, he even made a PowerPoint presentation. For whole country it should look as if Workers ' Party PT (which Lula da Silva has cofounded, note d. Red.) is a criminal organisation. As if it had arisen and came to government to rob country.
Time Online: If you are condemned next week: Do you want to continue with your candidacy?
Lula: I don't know word "surrender". If I am convicted, I will appeal and fly to Ethiopia two days later. There I will be speaking at a conference on world hunger. The whole world knows that Brazil has developed best policy for combating hunger. My Government was extremely successful in this. Later, I will lead a large parade of my supporters in Brazil, a caravan. We only march in south of country and n in north. The Workers ' Party has proven that it can govern country well, that Brazil can enjoy watching abroad, that it can create much economic growth.
Time Online: Not all Brazilians support m. Some demonstrate hatred against m quite personally, on demonstrations y demand: "Lula must go to prison!" How come?
Lula: When I was 2003 to vote, my opponents said I would embarrass myself. They also said I'm going to ruin economy. Then we created one of best epochs for Brazilian economy at all – and distributed revenue to people as well. Because if y don't, y'll just make some rich richer. We have made poor people of country to respected citizens of this country who know about ir rights. You can see se people everywhere in shopping malls or at airports.
But rise of poor was also a source of hatred of a very specific, or part of society. This part does not want to make room for ors in public space. He doesn't believe in democracy. This was most recently shown in opposition campaigns. There was a policy of hatred. Can you imagine in your country, for example, that a politician, when he enters a restaurant, is first whistled and insulted? In my opinion, foundations of democracy are at stake here.
Date Of Update: 20 January 2018, 12:02
