Al Jazeera News :
Former Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has pledged to rally against incumbent Jair Bolsonaro’s far-right government and the authorities he accuses of unjustly imprisoning him, saying he would “make their lives hell”.
Addressing a conference of the leftist Workers’ Party (PT) in Sao Paulo on Friday, Lula said he was “more willing to fight for this country than in any other moment” following his release from prison two weeks ago.
“Today I feel much stronger than the day I surrendered to the federal police,” the 74 year old, who spent 19 months behind bars due to a corruption conviction, told supporters.
“You will see me travelling around this country, not only making their lives hell but also defending the Brazilian people who don’t deserve to experience what they experiencing,” added the former union leader.
Lula was ordered free on November 8 following a Supreme Court ruling which overturned the court’s opinion three years ago that convicted criminals face mandatory imprisonment if they lose their first appeal.
Following his release, speculation has mounted over whether Lula – a PT founding member who governed Brazil from 2003 to 2010 – could be the PT’s candidate in the country’s 2022 presidential election, even though he is currently barred from running for office due to the corruption conviction that led to his jailing.
Under Brazil’s “Clean Slate” legislation, people with serious criminal convictions are prevented from standing for office within eight years of them being found guilty.
In 2018, Lula was handed a nearly nine-year sentence after being found guilty of receiving bribes from construction companies in return for public contracts as part of a sweeping probe into corruption known as Lava Jato, or Car Wash. He is also facing several other corruption charges.
Former Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has pledged to rally against incumbent Jair Bolsonaro’s far-right government and the authorities he accuses of unjustly imprisoning him, saying he would “make their lives hell”.
Addressing a conference of the leftist Workers’ Party (PT) in Sao Paulo on Friday, Lula said he was “more willing to fight for this country than in any other moment” following his release from prison two weeks ago.
“Today I feel much stronger than the day I surrendered to the federal police,” the 74 year old, who spent 19 months behind bars due to a corruption conviction, told supporters.
“You will see me travelling around this country, not only making their lives hell but also defending the Brazilian people who don’t deserve to experience what they experiencing,” added the former union leader.
Lula was ordered free on November 8 following a Supreme Court ruling which overturned the court’s opinion three years ago that convicted criminals face mandatory imprisonment if they lose their first appeal.
Following his release, speculation has mounted over whether Lula – a PT founding member who governed Brazil from 2003 to 2010 – could be the PT’s candidate in the country’s 2022 presidential election, even though he is currently barred from running for office due to the corruption conviction that led to his jailing.
Under Brazil’s “Clean Slate” legislation, people with serious criminal convictions are prevented from standing for office within eight years of them being found guilty.
In 2018, Lula was handed a nearly nine-year sentence after being found guilty of receiving bribes from construction companies in return for public contracts as part of a sweeping probe into corruption known as Lava Jato, or Car Wash. He is also facing several other corruption charges.
