Bulletin 131 – People’s Committee in Defense of Lula and Democracy
Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil – 6/29/2018 – 9 PM
1. Even though he’s been jailed as a political prisoner since April 7th, ex-President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva continues to pay close attention to Brazil’s situation. Today, in an article in Jornal do Brasil, he denounced the Temer government’s anti-nationalist measure to deliver 70% of the pre-salt offshore petroleum reserves to foreigners. Lula said, “let’s reverse everything that they are doing against our people, against the workers and against the nation. Brazil has to return to belonging to Brazilians”. Read the full article here: http://www.pt.org.br/lula-o-brasil-voltara-a-ser-dos-brasileiros/
2. The “good morning” yell to President Lula this morning was led by Sindisaúde/SP union leader Alexandre Senna, who arrived early this morning in a bus caravan of fellow union members to strengthen the #LulaLivre Democratic Vigil’s struggle for freedom for Lula and in defense of the Rule of Law. The CUT Paraná Union Federation President, Regina Cruz, also participated in the activity. She said that the Frente Brasil Popular (Brazil Popular Front) will hold a day of national paralyzation on August 10 during the lead up to the March on Brasilia on August 15th, to accompany the registration of Lula’s candidacy for the Presidency of the Republic. This morning there was also a performance of the cordel lyric poem, “Encontro com John Lennon” by Zé Jenipapo, and a public debate on the the land rights struggle facilitated by the Pernambucan lawyer Jaqueline Florence.
3. In a note released today, the Workers’ Party (PT) paid homage to Lula’s defense team, which is led by the lawyers Cristiano Zanin, José Roberto Batochio, José Paulo Sepúlveda Pertence and Valeska Martins. “You need to have courage, coherence and love for the law and justice to defend a political prisoner in the most difficult circumstances, as this team has been doing,” says the note, signed by party president Gleisi Hoffmann (Paraná), congressional leader Paulo Pimenta (Rio Grande do Sul) and senatorial leader Lindbergh Farias (Rio de Janeiro). Read the entire note here: https://ptnacamara.org.br//2018/06/29/nota-do-pt-defesa-de-lula-faz-combate-historico-ao-arbitrio/
4. The sociologist Emir Sadir participated in the “good afternoon” yell to the ex-President today and suggested that the Brazilian people start a countdown from 100 days until the elections on October 7th, with daily personal activities to help bring Lula back to the Presidency of the Republic. Sader gave an interview on the Democracia em Rede program, transmitted by the Democracy House, a media activist collective which makes up part of the Lula Livre Vigil. He warned of a nefarious combination of forces working against Democracy in the nation, involving political sectors and the private communications monopoly, owned by a few families who want to speak in the name of Brazil, and parts of the judiciary.
5. This afternoon, on Olga Benario square there was a round of public conversation about the public health system (SUS). Roseli Silva, from the Sindisaúde/SP health workers union, observed the contrast between the Lula and Dilma governments, who implemented public policies to benefit the entire population, and the illegitimate Temer government, which defends a minimal state and uses a revenue logic which does not transform resources into services for the population but uses them to benefit sectors of the Brazilian elite.
6. As night fell, before the “good night” yell to the ex-President, the weekly “lights for Lula” demonstration lit up Olga Benário square, as activists held up candles.
Bulletin 131 – People’s Committee in Defense of Lula and Democracy
Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil – 6/29/2018 – 9 PM
