We need your help now
Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.
You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.
If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.
Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you.
An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more.
By continuing, you are indicating that you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
A BRAZILIAN SUPREME Court judge has overturned the graft convictions against former president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, clearing the way for the left-wing leader to run in the 2022 presidential election.
Justice Edson Fachin overturned all convictions against the popular-but-tarnished ex-president (2003-2010), stemming from a probe into a massive corruption scheme centered on Brazilian state oil company Petrobras.
Fachin ruled the court in the southeastern city of Curitiba that convicted Lula ”lacked jurisdiction,” and sent a total of four related cases against him to a federal court in the capital, Brasilia.
Lula, 75, regains the right to run for office unless the convictions are reinstated.
The decision, which was procedural, did not go into the merits of the cases.
The prosecutor general’s office said it would appeal.
The full Supreme Court could overturn Fachin’s ruling, though legal experts said that was unlikely.
“This is recognition that we were right throughout this long legal battle,” Lula’s lawyers said in a statement.
They called the decision vindication of their arguments: “ex-president Lula’s innocence, the invalidity of the cases and the ‘lawfare’ that was waged against him.”
The cases stem from Operation Car Wash, a sprawling anti-corruption investigation that brought down a Who’s Who of powerful politicians and business executives in Brazil, jailed for using inflated construction contracts to systematically fleece Petrobras for billions of dollars.
Lula, who spent more than 18 months in prison before being freed in 2019 pending appeal, was the most powerful figure felled.
Prosecutors accused him of using the corruption scheme to take bribes, remodel a triplex beach apartment and channel illegal funds to his foundation.
His image was badly tarnished by the convictions, which resulted in jail sentences totaling 26 years.
Still, an opinion poll published on Sunday gave Lula the most potential votes in the October 2022 presidential elections – the only politician to outperform far-right incumbent Jair Bolsonaro.
Reacting to the ruling outside the presidential palace, Bolsonaro accused the judge of bias.
“Edson Fachin always had strong ties to the PT” - Lula’s Workers’ Party – “so a decision like this doesn’t surprise us,” he said.
“But the (Lula) government’s robbery is plain for all to see… I don’t think the Brazilian people even want a (PT) candidate in 2022, much less him.”
‘The show’s just starting’
Lula claims he is innocent, and that the cases against him were fabricated to take him out of the running for Brazil’s 2018 presidential race.
That election was ultimately won by Bolsonaro, who capitalised on a massive backlash against the PT.
Lula supporters have long cried foul.
They point to the fact that the lead judge in the Car Wash probe, Sergio Moro, went on to accept the post of justice minister under Bolsonaro, and that hacked phone messages show he conspired with prosecutors to ensure Lula was sidelined.
Social media in Brazil erupted with pictures of Lula donning a pair of red sunglasses or tearing into a punching bag with boxing gloves on.
Leftist Argentine president Alberto Fernandez hailed the ruling, tweeting, “Justice has been done!”
“The 2022 election started today,” opinion columnist Thomas Traumann wrote on Twitter.
“If you thought Brazil was politically polarised before, take a seat, because the show’s just getting started.”
Lula remains a hero on the left, and many Brazilians fondly recall the economic boom he presided over, as well as social programs that helped lift millions of people from poverty.
But his vindication is far from complete. The former metal worker-turned-president still faces several other corruption and influence-peddling cases, aside from the Operation Car Wash charges.
And he remains highly controversial – so much so that the Sao Paulo stock exchange plunged by four percentage points after news of the court decision broke.
The former president’s press office said he had no immediate comment on the ruling.
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
Well when the judge in the original case was working with the prosecutors illegally and then went to work with Bolsanaro it seems that these charges should have been overturned long ago, and
https://theintercept.com/2019/06/17/brazil-sergio-moro-lula-operation-car-wash/
Nothing like having friends in high places
@Gerard Heery: Yes indeed. It works well in Ireland too.
@Earth Traveller: a Brazilian issue and let’s make it about Ireland, the amount of moaners on this site, I for one love my country, have a good life that I worked hard for, I’m proud of my country and sick to death of all the moaners, there is a big bad world outside of Ireland, see how great it is.
@Daniel Roche: I hear you Leo, is there a big bad wolf in the big bad world outside Ireland that makes it so horrible?
@Daniel Roche: Was that a moan?
@Gerard Heery: the judge that both investigated and convicted Lula in the first place ended up being appointed the minister for justice by Bolsonaro after the last election, so yeah you could say that
@John Meade: I had a hunch there were favour’s being returned
Ah that’s lovely isn’t it!
That’s funny, the corruption task force was wound up last week without any fanfare and now this.
Lula’s party was certainly guilty of massive corruption. Hard to believe that the head of the party was unaware or uninvolved.
have your say