Bulletin 91 – People’s Committee in Defense of Lula and Democracy
Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil – 5/23/2018 – 12 Noon
1. The “good morning President Lula” yell today included participation by the United Organizations against the Coup, a group of activists in defense of democracy and freedom for the ex-President of the Republic, detained as a political prisoner in Curitiba. This afternoon, the Democracia em Rede program, in the Democracy House, will hold a debate on the role of the progressive press in political coverage, including the experience of communications collectives in covering the #LulaLivre Vigil: https://www.facebook.com/vigilialulalivre/
2. Supreme Court Minister Edson Fachin authorized a commission of Congressmen to inspect the Federal Police installations in Curitiba where Lula is being held as a political prisoner. This overturns the decision made by Carolina Lebbos, the Criminal Execution Judge in Curitiba who arbitrarily barred this inspection visit last month and disrespected the prerogatives of the legislative branch of government. The group in question is an external commission of Congress formed by the PT, PC do B, PDT, PSB and PSOL parties and coordinated by Paulo Pimenta (Rio Grande do Sul) the leader of PT in Congress.
3. Across the world support for the freedom of Lula and denouncements of his political imprisonment are growing. Today in London, activists for the defense of Lula and democracy in Brazil held a protest in front of the Brazilian embassy. In a text released on the internet, they reiterated that Lula is a political prisoner “because the process against him was fraudulent, using false evidence and lies, ” and emphasized that he is leading in all elections polls for the Presidency of the Republic.
4. Today there will also be protests in support of Lula in Barcelona, Spain, during the opening of the Latin American Studies Association Congress (LASA) – the world’s largest professional association for Latin American studies. The Latin American Council of Social Sciences (CLACSO) will conduct an act for freedom for President Lula and justice for City Councilwoman Marielle Franco, assassinated in Rio de Janeiro over two months ago. CLACSO will organize different activities about the coup in Brazil. The protest during the opening of the event will be one of them. During the event, 5000 bags will be distributed with the inscription “LulaLuta”, as well as t-shirts and banners with the phrases, “#MariellePresente” and “#FreeLula”. 7000 Latin-American studies specialists from around the World will participate in the LASA Congress. CLACSO’s complete activities schedule for the event in Barcelona can be seen here: https://www.clacso.org.ar/CLACSO_en_Barcelona/
5. On Tuesday night (May 22) in Brasilia, the Lula Livre Brigade held interventions in the central local bus terminal, which is the largest point of concentration of the working class in the city. The youth from the brigade replicated a practice that is taking place throughout the country, defending democracy and denouncing the arbitrary political imprisonment of Lula.
Bulletin 91 – People’s Committee in Defense of Lula and Democracy
Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil – 5/23/2018 – 12 Noon
