Bulletin 198 – People’s Committee in Defense of Lula and Democracy
Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil – 9/4/2018 – 7:40 PM
1. Ex-President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva published a message on his social networks today expressing his frustration with the Supreme Electoral Court (TSE) decision to disqualify his candidacy. He complained of the fact that the TSE judged him as committing a crime that did not exist, and demanded speed from the higher courts to repair the injustice committed against him. “I cannot conform with the fact that they condemned me with the Ficha Limpa (clean slate) law for a crime that does not exist. The Higher Courts, which can repair this injustice by ruling on my case based on its merits before the elections, are not putting it on their schedule. Are they going to wait to rule on my until after I have been removed from the electoral process?” Lula said.
2. Due to the arbitrary attitude of the Brazilian judiciary in relation to Lula, the ex-President’s defense lawyers presented a new petition to the UN Human Rights Committee to guarantee that Brazil respects the ruling issued by the international body on August 17th. Read more here: http://www.pt.org.br/defesa-de-lula-encaminha-nova-peticao-ao-comite-da-onu/
3. On the 151st day of democratic resistance in Curitiba, the #LulaLivre Vigil received, on September 4th, a visit from the parents of Marielle Franco, who was assassinated in Rio de Janeiro in March. Marinete da Silva and Antônio Francisco da Silva Neto came by invitation from the Landless Rural Workers Movement (MST). Marinete said that the activists movement in Curitiba is, “focusing on a greater good and in defense of Lula,” while Antonio Francisco said that, “the elite does not want poor and black people to question power.” Read more here:
http://www.pt.org.br/pais-de-marielle-franco-levam-solidariedade-a-lula-em-curitiba/
4. Marielle’s parents participated in the good afternoon shout to Lula and planted araucária trees in the grove which is being reforested in the neighborhood of the Vigil, in homage to Marielle and Anderson Gomes, the driver who was assassinated together with the city councilwoman. The couple also participated in the inauguration of the Marielle Franco Political Formation Space, set up by the MST, and in a conversation circle on the theme of, “Impunity against the people’s fighters – anger transformed in resistance.”
5. As they have been talking place all across the country, today in Brasilia, another Lulaço demonstration was held in defense of freedom for ex-President Lula. To the chants of, “Lula, Warrior of the Brazilian People” and “Olê, Olê, Olá… Lula, Lula!”, hundreds of people participated in a demonstration inside of the Brasilia Shopping Mall in the federal capital’s downtown. Afterwords, the protesters assembled in front of the headquarters of Rede Globo media conglomerate, a few meters from the mall, to protest against the TV network’s anti-democratic and coup mongering attitudes.
Bulletin 198 – People’s Committee in Defense of Lula and Democracy
Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil – 9/4/2018 – 7:40 PM
