The president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, from the Worker's Party (PT), announced to be pre-candidate to presidency, in a public act on this wednesday night, amid the “Journey for Democracy”, that gathered 50 thousand people, according to organizers. The statement was given during a popular demonstration in his support, after his 5 hour long interrogatory on federal court, the second longest on the Lava Jato Operation. He took the opportunity to condemn the proceedings of the Judge of first instance Sergio Moro and called for a fair trial.
"I am alive and ready to run for presidency of this country. I was never so eager to change things. If the elite can't fix Brazil, the metalworker will prove he can", affirmed on the stage of Santos Andrade Square, in Curitiba (capital of Paraná state).
The ex-president also said that part of his political will comes precisely from the persecution he is suffering: "I don't want to be judged by interpretations. I want to be judged by evidences. I thought today they would show documents claiming I am the owner of an apartment. They had nothing”.
In the public act, preceding Lula, the president Dilma Rousseff (PT) gave a brief speech criticizing the policies of the current government. "Not even during military dictatorship they dared to take off so many workers rights. They are creating a setback on Social Security that will sentence us. They made a coup because they lost 4 elections in a row and they knew this agenda would never win on the ballots.
Justice
Defendant in the Lava Jato Operation, Lula got emotional with the presence of militants in the square: "I would never imagine that a bus would come from the state of Acre to support me. I took part in countless demonstrations, but none was as gratifying as this one, showing that someone trusts you when you are being slayed"
"I told them: my relation with you is not from candidate to voter, is between fighting companions. If someday I have being made a mistake, I don't want to be judged only by the law, I want to be judged by the population. I wouldn't be deserving of this caring, if I was guilty as I speak to you now”, said Lula. “I’d rather be hit by a bus than to have to lie to you”.
At the end of the demonstration, Lula called Ana Julia – a high school student leader – to the stage, announcing that she had become affiliated to the Worker’s Party to show support for the former president. The young leader closed the speeches with a thanksgiving message: “It’s a honor to share the stage with the man who created most opportunities to students.”
The events for democracy and to support Lula, that happened in Curitiba this tuesday(9) and wednesday(10) were summoned by the Frente Brasil Popular (Brazil Popular Front), together with the Frente Resistência Democrática (Democratic Resistance Front) and the organization Advogados pela Democracia (Lawyers for Democracy).
