Is this justice? The case of ex – President Lula in Brazil

Luiz Inacio “Lula” da Silva was the President of Brazil since 2003 until 2011. During his presidential term, poverty was reduced in 73%, chronic poverty was also reduced from 10% to 1%, and all social classes in the country saw their income increase. Now, the Brazilian Justice has dictated prison for him in a casa that is plagued by irregularities and lack of proof.

   During the governments of Lula and Dilma Rousseff (his successor and pupil), Brazil skyrocketed in every possible sense. Poverty was reduced in 73%, chronic poverty was also reduced from 10% to 1%, and all social classes in the country saw their income increase. The deficit of the access to a home decreased by 53%, 1,700,000 houses were built for the people, the access to electricity was universalized, and the access to water improved. Furthermore, school enrollment in tertiary education duplicated and many universities and technical schools were built. This was the result of putting people as a priority in the governmental budget. Amongst the people who were most benefitted were the rural population, women, youngsters, indigenous communities and afro descendants. There was a great improvement in equality for all. However, not everybody was happy.

   Dilma Rousseff was impeached in 2016 accused of corruption. She was accused of breaking budgetary laws. However, many audios emerged of politicians from the opposition (those who  ere judging her) planning the impeachment because she was an obstacle for their corrupted plans. And they succeeded. Dilma was put in trial before the Senate, and they decided to end her presidential term without any proof of corruption besides their own personal convictions. Lula is facing a similar fait: he is being accused of influence peddling, where he supposedly lobbied for contracts between the government and foreign countries benefiting the giant Odebrecht. Reportedly, Lula received an apartment in exchange for these favors and he is to serve 12 years in prison. But there is no proof that this apartment has ever been part of his property, or that he actually committed such acts of corruption. This is the so called operation “Car Wash” (Lava Jato), which has been ongoing since 2015, and which is everything but impartial. The elite-owned media has had a very important role in Dilma’s casa and in this one. And the justice seems to work for the media and the opposition and not for the good of the people.

   It is worth saying that Luis Inacio da Silva intended to run for president in October 2018. However, according to the law, a person who has been found guilty of a crime in a court of second instance cannot run for president of Brazil. It has been speculated that this could be one of the main reasons why the Brazilian justice was in a hurry to convict him. Usually, any judicial process can take a couple of years. In the case of Lula, it has been in a matter of 4 months, after the justice gave priority to this case instead of the other cases that are still pending. And so we can ask ourselves who is the winner on this case?

   It is also worth noting that Lula has not been a normal politician. He was able to build such a successful political career that has made him one of the most popular politicians in the history of the country. And because of all the social programs mentioned at the beginning of the article, millions of people in the country consider him their savior. He is one of those politicians like no other and he knows that he has the support of his people. As a wise politician who knows the worth of an image, he refused to give himself up to the police on the required date. Instead, he decided to wait until a Catholic Mass was celebrated in honor to his late wife,  and after this he decided to address the thousands of people who showed up to support him. Only then he gave himself up to the police, but not before leaving behind a picture that has become a symbol of a prosecuted leader in the arms of his people who is fighting the pure hate of the media, the opposition, and a very partial justice.

Dott.ssa Ana Figueroa