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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/jan/23/let-lula-stand-again-to-be-president-of-brazil
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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Let Lula stand again to be president of Brazil | Let Lula stand again to be president of Brazil |
| (about 1 month later) | |
| Former president Lula da Silva is well ahead in the polls for the Brazilian presidential elections in October this year. Last July Lula was sentenced to over nine years and, on 24 January, the case against him goes to appeal. His conviction is likely to be upheld. If so, he will be unable to run in the elections. The speed with which his appeal came to court suggests that the Brazilian judiciary may have their eyes on candidate registration deadlines rather than law. Investigations in the original trial were unable to find evidence of any connections between fraudulent contracts signed by the state oil company, Petrobras, and Lula’s action. Yet he was convicted. There were several flaws in Lula’s trial such as lack of impartiality, being convicted on charges different from those presented by prosecutors and, more importantly, no evidence. His rights are being violated, which is why Geoffrey Robertson QC is taking his case to the UN. That is also why we believe he is a victim of lawfare. The Brazilian judicial system is being used for political purposes. The Brazilian people should be the ones to decide whether Lula should be president of Brazil, not unelected members of the judiciary. | Former president Lula da Silva is well ahead in the polls for the Brazilian presidential elections in October this year. Last July Lula was sentenced to over nine years and, on 24 January, the case against him goes to appeal. His conviction is likely to be upheld. If so, he will be unable to run in the elections. The speed with which his appeal came to court suggests that the Brazilian judiciary may have their eyes on candidate registration deadlines rather than law. Investigations in the original trial were unable to find evidence of any connections between fraudulent contracts signed by the state oil company, Petrobras, and Lula’s action. Yet he was convicted. There were several flaws in Lula’s trial such as lack of impartiality, being convicted on charges different from those presented by prosecutors and, more importantly, no evidence. His rights are being violated, which is why Geoffrey Robertson QC is taking his case to the UN. That is also why we believe he is a victim of lawfare. The Brazilian judicial system is being used for political purposes. The Brazilian people should be the ones to decide whether Lula should be president of Brazil, not unelected members of the judiciary. |
| Susan Grey No coup in Brazil | Susan Grey No coup in Brazil |
| Chris Williamson MPLabour Friends of Progressive Latin America | Chris Williamson MPLabour Friends of Progressive Latin America |
| Alfredo Saad Filho Professor of political economy, Soas University of LondonFrancisco Dominguez Middlesex University | Alfredo Saad Filho Professor of political economy, Soas University of LondonFrancisco Dominguez Middlesex University |
| Tereza BriggsAna RojasMembers of the Brazilian Workers’ party (UK) | Tereza BriggsAna RojasMembers of the Brazilian Workers’ party (UK) |
| Vilma GovediceCristiane GuimaraesRenata F PetersDemocracy for Brazil | Vilma GovediceCristiane GuimaraesRenata F PetersDemocracy for Brazil |
| Victor Fraga Director and founder, D-Movies | Victor Fraga Director and founder, D-Movies |
| Nara JararacaLuiz ZaninDalia Andrade OliveriaDilma 13 UK Committee | Nara JararacaLuiz ZaninDalia Andrade OliveriaDilma 13 UK Committee |
| Ana CockrillMarcia Martins da RosaArts for Democracy | Ana CockrillMarcia Martins da RosaArts for Democracy |
| • Join the debate – email guardian.letters@theguardian.com | • Join the debate – email guardian.letters@theguardian.com |
| • Read more Guardian letters – click here to visit gu.com/letters | • Read more Guardian letters – click here to visit gu.com/letters |
| • The signatory list on this letter was amended on 24 January 2017. An earlier version incorrectly listed Alfredo Saad Filho and Francisco Dominguez as members of Labour Friends of Progressive Latin America; they are individual signatories. | • The signatory list on this letter was amended on 24 January 2017. An earlier version incorrectly listed Alfredo Saad Filho and Francisco Dominguez as members of Labour Friends of Progressive Latin America; they are individual signatories. |
| Brazil | Brazil |
| Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva | Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva |
| United Nations | United Nations |
| Human rights | Human rights |
| letters | letters |
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