Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil 4/14/2018 Noon
1. On Saturday, April 14, on a cold and rainy day in the Democratic Vigil #LulaLivre camp in Curitiba, the day started with a special call of “good morning” to President Lula, along with an homage to slain Rio de Janeiro city councilwoman Marielle Franco and her driver Anderson. She and her driver were victims of an execution on March 14 and to date, the police have been unable to give any satisfactory answer to society about who was responsible for this barbaric crime.
2. There are now 400 people staying in the #LulaLivre camp in Brasilia and every day more people arrive to defend Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who is the political prisoner of Judge Sergio Moro and all of the people who are afraid to face him in the election because they know they can’t beat him in a democratic election. The camp in Brasilia is set up in front of the Nelson Nelson gymnasium and made up of activists who have come from various states across the country, including Goias, Minas Gerias, Tocantins and São Paulo.
3. In addition to all of the social movements and organizations present which have been mentioned in previous bulletins, the National Movement Against Corruption and for Democracy (MNCCD), is participating in the Brasilia vigil, demanding the immediate liberation of Lula.
4. In Piaui state, congressmen and activists are traveling to 12 towns and cities holding dialogues with residents to denounce the farce of Lula’s imprisonment. The convey is emphasizing that what is happening has always been done to Lula throughout his political career and repeating what he is saying: silencing Lula won’t work because there are millions of Brazilians representing his voice and his legs. On the first day the convoy traveled to Demerval Lobão, Lagoa, Monsenhor Gil, Agricolândia, Àgua Branca and São Pedro. Today they are traveling to São Gonçalo, Santo Antonio das Milagres, Jardim do Mulato, Angical, Regeneração and Amarante. Next weekend the convoy will continue.
5. Urgent: the people in the camps at the Lula Livre vigil in Curitiba need rain jackets, covers and jackets. Donations can be made at the camp, at the infrastructure tent.
6. Next Tuesday, April 17, the São Paulo Legislative Assembly will be the site of a Free Lula protests at 2:30 PM, at the Jucelino Kubitchek building. On this day the regular session will be suspended to host the protest, organized by the PT caucus. Political leaders, social movements, unions, students, artists and representatives of civil society organizations will protests in defense of democracy, the Constitution, and the right of freedom for ex-President Lula. More details about this protests can be seen at: https://www.facebook.com/events/87701452478857/?u=cl
7. Today, the Baque Mulher Curitiba will perform at the Lula Livre camp in Curitiba at 10 AM. From 2-4 PM there will be children’s activities with João Bello. Starting at 3 PM there will be a show with the Samba da Resistência. Afterword, at 4PM, a group of psychoanalysts will hold a debate on hate in politics. At 4:30 PM the LGBT movement will hold a protest. The Partigianos groups will play a show at 5 PM and at 5:30 there will be a drum circle in honor of Marielle Franco.
8. At 6 PM there will be another protests in the Democratic Vigil camp with Olivio Dutra, ex-Governor of Rio Grande do Sul and ex-Mayor of Porto Alegre, the poet Alice Ruiz and PT national president, Senator Gleisi Hoffmann. After the act, there will be another concert with Estrela Lemininski, Téo Ruis and the band Fato.
Bulletin 20 – People’s Committee in Defense of Lula and Democracy
Curitiba 4/14/2018 Noon
