For those who have been following Brazil closely in recent years, the case against former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva is clear-cut. And no, it鈥檚 not about tackling corruption, it鈥檚 about subverting Brazilian democracy for the second time in two years.
A travesty of justice occurred on January 25 when Workers鈥 Party (PT) leader Lula was sentenced to 12 years jail by a partial judiciary, with evidence of his innocence blatantly ignored.
Following the illegitimate impeachment of Dilma Rousseff (also from the PT) in 2016 that saw right-wing President Michel Temer take power, a campaign has been waged by the media and Lula鈥檚 trial judge to discredit the former president and keep the country鈥檚 most popular politician from running in the 2018 election.
The charges laid against him are that he received a bribe, in the form of an apartment, from construction company OAS. The only problem is that no evidence has been produced that Lula or his late-wife had taken ownership of the apartment.
In fact, the whole case is based on the testimony of a convicted OAS executive, Jose Pinheiro Filho. Remarkably, Filho was initially blocked from a plea bargain 鈥 when his original story matched Lula鈥檚.
This lack of evidence would not be accepted in British, European Union or United States courts. The actions and clear bias of Judge Sergio Moro would not be accepted either.
Worryingly, this case has not just brought the Brazilian judicial system into disrepute聽鈥 Brazilian democracy now looks at its weakest since the military dictatorship ended in 1985.
Since illegitimately taking office, Temer has taken the country on a sharp rightward turn after 13 years of PT governments under Lula and Rousseff. In just two years his administration has set to work on reversing the huge gains made by the PT, implementing a series of hardline neoliberal reforms that have affected healthcare, education, workers鈥 rights and more.
All without an election or a mandate.
Temer鈥檚 20-year freeze on health and education spending was labelled 鈥渄evoid of all nuance and compassion鈥 by the United Nations special rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights.
Temer鈥檚 dismantling of Brazil鈥檚labour law was also criticised internationally, with International Trade Union Confederation general secretary Sharan Burrow calling it a 鈥渞ecipe for corporate greed.鈥
These regressive measures have only made Lula grow in popularity. For many, he has become the sole figure standing in the way of a complete transformation of Brazil鈥檚 economy and state 鈥 away from one of social inclusion to one of a ruling elite.
Lula鈥檚 achievements while in office have received huge praise worldwide and the social programs he implemented are still being used as a model in the UN. His landmark project, the Bolsa Familia program, which gives financial aid to poor families, covered nearly 14 million households before Temer鈥檚 drastic cuts.
Poverty reduction was a key goal of Lula鈥檚 administration and he is now credited with lifting 20 million Brazilians from poverty, halving Brazil鈥檚 poverty in just seven years while extreme poverty also fell drastically.
While Brazil also became an economic powerhouse under Lula, his administrations deserve praise for expanding the public education and health systems, housing over 10 million low-income Brazilians and tackling exploitation in the workplace.
Following the failure of a series of appeals against his verdict, Lula has been detained in the federal jail in聽Curitiba since April 7. His sentence and imprisonment have been met with demonstrations across the country, with a Free Lula encampment protesting outside the jail.
As part of an increasing trend of violence towards progressives in Brazil, an armed man recently attacked the encampment, shooting at tents and wounding two protestors. His identity is unknown but reports state he was heard shouting 鈥淏olsonaro for President,鈥 referring to the far-right candidate Jair Bolsonaro who is currently polling at 15% compared to Lula鈥檚 31%.
An ex-paratrooper who has praised former Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet, Bolsonaro has openly called for a return to military rule of the sort that Brazil broke with less than forty years ago.
Lula has until August to register as an official candidate for the country鈥檚 October presidential polls. If elections were held today, polls show that he would win in all scenarios. But his conviction will keep him off the ballot unless his next appeal is upheld.
It is not just Lula who is under attack from a vicious right wing, but his ideals, his achievements and the millions who support him. That is why it鈥檚 vital we build support for Lula internationally, so that on the world鈥檚 stage justice will be served and Lula will be able to run again for president of Brazil.
[Reprinted from .]