Members of the PT Congressional Bloc denounced the forceful manner and rules of exception used by the Supreme Electoral Court (TSE) to punish Lula and bar him from participating in the presidential elections. This is because the same Electoral Justice who presided over the case recognized rights guaranteed under the Electoral and “Clean Slate” ( Ficha Limpa) laws in favor of dozens of candidates in similar stages of their appeals processes as the ex-President during the last round of Municipal Elections. At that time, 145 Mayoral candidates were sub judice and 98 were elected and are currently governing their cities.
The TSE’s decision, completely aligned with the coup plot, took place exactly two years after the Senate consummated the coup against Democracy. On that day, August 31, 2016, by 61-21, Senators impeded Dilma Rousseff from concluding her mandate despite the fact that she had not committed a crime of responsibility. On this August 31, 2018, the TSE Ministers, using arguments which are not supported by law, decided to impede Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva from gaining his 3rd mandate as President.
Congresswoman Margarida Salamão (PT-Minas Gerais) said that, due to the violations of the TSE against the ex-President, the Workers’ Party will continue fighting to respect the will of the people who want to see Lula in the Presidency of the Republic again. “PT will fight for his candidacy. We will take all legal measures to ensure that his rights, guaranteed by law and international treaties adhered to by Brazil, are respected. We will defend Lula on the streets, with the Brazilian people,” said Margarida, who was Dean of Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora (UFJF) and currently heads the Congressional Urban Development Commission.
Democracy – Congressman Arlindo Chinaglia (PT-São Paulo) said that the ruling is a plot to remove Lula from the elections. “They are trying to ban inclusion in Brazil. This is why they removed Lula from the electoral race,” said the Congressman, a former president of the House and the Mercosur Parliament.
Congressman Helder Salomão (PT-Espirito Santo), in a similar manner, said that barring Lula from running is baring Brazil from recuperating the democracy that was destroyed starting in 2016. “It is another coup against the sovereign will of the Brazilian people,” he said.
Congresswoman Maria do Rosário (PT-Rio Grande do Sul) said that the TSE ruling is the continuation of the persecution by judge Sergio Moro, who condemned Lula without proof, in a procedure that is deeply flawed to the core and should therefore be thrown out. “ The institutions are subjugating themselves to a fraudulent judge. There is no more rule of law if democracy and peoples’ sovereignty are no longer worth anything,” said the congressman, who served as Dilma Rousseff’s Minister of Human Rights.
Injustice– Congressman Zeca Dirceu (PT-Paraná) said that, for Lula, the TSE has used “two weights and two measures”, using rules that have not been applied to other candidates. “Justice is only fair when it is equal for everyone. The TSE’s decision is disappointing, attempting one more time to remove the people’s right to vote for who they want. We will maintain Lula’s candidacy to the end. This is the will of the majority of the people according to all polls,” said the son of ex-Congressman and Minister José Dirceu, who is one of the founders of the PT.
Congressman Pepe Vargas (PT-Rio Grande do Sul) angrily reiterated that the TSE decision violates the UN Human Rights Committee ruling which states that Brazil should enable Lula to fulfill his political rights, including that of running for office. “The TSE ruled against the orientation from the UN, which guarantees Lula the right to run for office until all of his appeals are ruled on,” he said.
Pepe also criticized that members of the Judiciary for misusing their power for their own benefit. “During a week in which they rose their own salaries during a dinner with President Temer, the Judiciary barred Lula, the leader in all polls, from the election. Let’s resist!”, said the Congressman and former Minister of Agrarian Development during the Dilma Rousseff administration.
