Latin America

sandensea

(21,635 posts) Sun Apr 28, 2019, 06:01 PM Apr 2019

Brazil is governed by 'gang of madmen', says former President Lula da Silva

Speaking in his first interview since he was imprisoned a year ago, former Brazilian President Luiz Inacio “Lula” da Silva said the country is governed by a “gang of madmen.”

The leftist ex-leader, 73, is serving an almost nine year sentence for alleged bribery. He reiterated his innocence and told newspapers El País (Spain) and Folha de Sao Paulo he is “obsessed with unmasking” those behind his conviction.

“I know very well the place history holds for me,” said Lula, “And I also know who will be in the dumpster.”

“It can’t be that this country is governed by this gang of madmen,” Lula said of President Jair Bolsonaro’s far-right administration. “The country - and above all the people - don’t deserve that.”

Bolsonaro took office in January, defeating Workers’ Party candidate Fernando Haddad in an October runoff by 10%. Haddad replaced Lula after he was banned from running. Polls showed Lula winning handily, had he been allowed to run.

The former president was convicted as part of Operation Car Wash, a corruption probe into state oil firm Petrobras. Lacking material evidence, his conviction was based solely on testimony from jailed contractors.

The judge who oversaw the case, Sérgio Moro, was appointed Minister of Justice by Bolsonaro.

Argentina

Lula also commented on neighboring Argentina's elections this year, where incumbent President Mauricio Macri - whom Bolsonaro recently endorsed - faces an economic crisis and 24% approval.

“I'm rooting for Cristina to win the elections,” he said in reference to former President Cristina Kirchner, who was recently revealed to be a target of a smear campaign by Argentine intelligence - and whom, despite not yet announcing, polls show she would win handily.

“I worked with Presidents (Néstor) Kirchner and Cristina, and they were very good for the people of Argentina.”

At: https://www.thesundaily.my/world/brazil-is-governed-by-gang-of-madmen-says-former-president-lula-EK826053

Former Brazilian President Lula da Silva makes a point during his April 26 interview - the first he's been allowed to give since his imprisonment a year ago.

Convicted last year solely on testimony from a contractor kept in a rat-infested dungeon until he incriminated him, the UN considers his detention arbitrary.

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Brazil is governed by 'gang of madmen', says former President Lula da Silva (Original Post) sandensea Apr 2019 OP

People who have been following events learned the testimony was coerced which they used Judi Lynn Apr 2019 #1

Judi Lynn

(160,542 posts)

1. People who have been following events learned the testimony was coerced which they used

Reply to sandensea (Original post)

Sun Apr 28, 2019, 08:25 PM

Apr 2019

as their justification in imprisoning Lula. That political mob is without consciences, they ARE wildly greedy, dirty, dishonest schemers.

Didn't know how they put the screws to the man they tormented in order to get him to give false witness. It's a shame he caved, the damage to the country was imminent the moment he did. They have been wanting Lula out of the way for so many years. They struggled to destroy him while he was still in the Presidency.

Hoping so much Lula will live to see their machinations completely unraveled, and the monsters kicked to the curb, back where they belong. Brazil suffered enough through the centuries, and up through the bloody, sadistic dictatorship. The neo-fascists need to be removed as soon as it can be arranged.

Lula must be freed, permanently.

Thanks for the information, sandensea.

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