Official statement: Lula is candidate of the Brazilian people

On the decision of the Federal Court of the 4th Region (TRF-4), which determined in record time the trial of former president Lula’s appeal against the unjust sentence of Judge Sergio Moro, the WORKERS’ PARTY states:

– Lula is the Brazil’s greatest political leader. His candidacy for the Presidency of the Republic belongs to the Brazilian people and consolidates continuously in a country that needs to overcome crisis, restore democracy, jobs and sovereignty.

– The case against Lula has been marked by several exceptions to the rule of law: coercive conduction, leakage of phone calls with President Dilma, conviction without evidence. When scheduling the trial within as short, the TRF-4 acts at least in an exceptional way.

– Lula is innocent of the charges against him, in a process marked by arbitrariness, illegalities and restriction of the right to defense.

– On the evidence of innocenceof Lula, there is only one fair and legal decision to the case: the repeal of the sentence of first instance and the acquittal by the TRF-4.

– The coup makers and their allies invest in artificial and anti-democratic solutions to prevent the return of Lula to the Government. If they expect to see Lula ineligible with the judgment of the appeal, they are deceived. Any discussion or questioning about his candidacy will only occur after its registration in the Superior Electoral Court in August.

– Lula is our candidate and will be Brazil’s next president.

Gleisi Hoffmann
National President
Workers’ Party
Brazil