Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil – 8/18/2018 – 7:30 PM
1. The legitimate President, Dilma Rousseff, hailed the UN Human Rights Committee ruling on Friday, August 17th, that Brazil has to guarantee Lula’s right to participate in the Presidential elections. For her, the resolution is an important demonstration of how the international community is monitoring what is happening in Brazil and is demanding respect for the democratic rule of law. She said that no organ of the Brazilian State can present any obstacle to Lula’s candidacy and that the UN ruling cannot be disobeyed, since Brazil signed the United Nations Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. Read more here: http://www.pt.org.br/o-mundo-clama-pelos-direitos-do-lula-diz-dilma-sobre-onu/
2. On Friday, when the UN ruled on Lula’s right to run for President, media around the world covered the issue, but the Brazilian media, with rare exceptions, tried to transform the fact into fake news and, acting as if nothing had happened, hid and manipulated the story. TV Globo’s Jornal Nacional news program, for example, practically ignored the news and emphasized the illegitimate Michel Temer government’s version of the story, which tries to discredit, through insults, the UN’s ruling. All journalists know that hiding news or downplaying its significance is a form of censorship and manipulation. Read more here: https://www.viomundo.com.br/denuncias/decisao-da-onu-sobre-lula-midia-brasileira-tentou-transformar-fato-em-fake-como-nao-conseguiu-escondeu-e-manipulou-a-noticia.html
3. On the 19th day of the hunger strike for Justice in the Federal Supreme Court, the seven hunger strikers – Father Sérgio Görgen and Rafaela Alves (from the small farmers movement – MPA), Luiz “Gegê” Gonzaga (From the Popular Movements Central/CMP), Jaime Amorim, Zonália Santos and Vilmar Pacífico (from the Landless Rural Workers Movement/MST) and Leonardo Soares (from the Levante Popular da Juventude youth movement) – are beginning to enter a fragile state of health and have begun to pass the day in hospital beds and wheelchairs. They are more and more vulnerable day by day, but they will continue in this extreme fight while the Federal Supreme Court refuses to rule on the declaratory actions of constitutionality which challenge the possibility of imprisonment before the appeals process is exhausted. Read more here: https://www.sul21.com.br/areazero/2018/08/com-saude-fragilizada-grevistas-de-fome-passam-a-fazer-uso-de-camas-hospitalares-e-cadeiras-de-roda/
4. The “good morning” yell to ex-President Lula, on this 134th day of resistance, included the participation of Pastor Maria Aparecida, from Santo André (SP), who led the crowd in prayer. “The doors will always be open for Lula to return to be President of Brazil. The future glory of the President will be even stronger than everything which he has already done for the country,” said the Pastor. The “good afternoon” yell was made by activists from all over the country, like Rio Grande do Norte, Rio de Janeiro and Santa Catarina. They came to Curitiba especially to visit the Lula Livre Vigil.
5. Ex-president Lula published a message on his social media networks today in homage of ex-General Secretary of the UN Kofi Annan, who died on this Saturday at the age of 80. Lula wrote the following: “Today the world lost Kofi Annan. The first black man to lead the UN, Annan left a legacy of struggle against inequality in the world. Personally, I had the happiness to be President during his mandate and was able to witness his dedication towards harmony and dialogue between peoples. My solidarity goes out especially to the African people for this sad loss of an inspiring leader who will always be remembered for his journey for peace.”
6. Lula also posted a message in homage to Manuela D´Ávila, the State Congresswoman from Rio Grande do Sul and representative of the PC do B on the Lula/Haddad ticket for presidency of the republic, for her birthday. “We are together in this struggle,” said Lula in his social media accounts. Manuela turned 37.
7. Since Friday, a large balloon has floated in front of the Federal Police headquarters in Curitiba where Lula is being held as a political prisoner with the expression #FreeLula on it, to commemorate the UN decision that guarantees the ex-President the right to run for the presidency of the Republic. The decision of the UN Committee continues its repercussions among the activists in the Vigil. Valéria, who is affiliated with the PT, came from Fortaleza to visit the Vigil and exalt the Brazilian people’s support for Lula. Today, 8/18/2018, marks 134 days of resistance to Lula’s political imprisonment.
Bulletin 181 – People’s Committee in Defense of Lula and Democracy
Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil – 8/18/2018 – 7:30 PM
