Curitiba, Parana, Brazil. 4/9/2018
- This Monday started with dozens of convoys arriving from across Brazil. There are over a thousand people thousand people here now. Antonio Nunes Oliveira, who works as a doorman in downtown Curitiba, says that he can’t stay in front of the Federal Police building, where Lula is being held, for the entire time, but guarantees that he will be here every day between 7-10 AM. “It’s nothing compared to everything that Lula has done for us,” he said.
- At 10:30 AM we received a visit from Manuela D’Avila, State Congresswoman from Rio Grande do Sul and per-candidate for the Brazilian presidency. She arrived with a group of directors of the Partido Communista do Brasil (Brazilian Communist Party/PC do B). There were also visits by federal Congressmen like Zé Geraldo (Workers Party/PT- Para), Décio Lima (PT- Santa Catarina) and the congressional and senatorial leaders of the PT party Paulo Pimenta (Rio Grande do Sul) and Lindbergh Farias (Rio de Janeiro). Former Congressman Angelo Vanhoni (PT-Parana) also arrived at the vigil for ex-president Lula.
- Manuela gave an emotional speech. She invited people across the country to come to Curitiba and recalled the zeal that Lula had for everyone who was around him even during the most tense moments in São Bernardo do Campo. “Lula walked into the rooms asking the workers if they were all getting enough to eat. Even in the worst moments he comforted us,” she said.
- There was an incident which, once again, showed the face of the fascist Brazilian right. A provocateur came out of the Federal Police building and up to Manuela and came very close to hitting her. Manuela, Lindbergh and Pimenta demanded that the police identify the fascist and keep him away from the vigil, which continues on in a spirit of peace and companionship, feelings that are unknown to the right.
- At 2PM a meeting of the PT national directorate began at the party headquarters in Curitiba, where they are scheduled to discuss the challenges ahead to defend ex-President Lula. Party president Gleisi Hoffman said that the PT national headquarters during this period will be transferred to Curitiba. Dr. Rosinha, Parana State PT party president, organized a reception and solidarity committee for those who are arriving.
- During the next two weeks, Dilma Rousseff, Manuela D´Avila and Guilherme Boulos will travel to several foreign countries denouncing what is happening in Brazil. The international press continues to denounce Lula’s political imprisonment.
Bulletin 9 – People’s Committee in Defense of Lula and Democracy
Curitiba, Parana, Brazil. 4/9/2018. 1:30 PM
