The story of an incredible comeback. That of a 77-year-old man who spent time in prison before returning to the throne. Lula was elected president of Brazil on Sunday, winning 50.9% of the vote against outgoing far-right president Jair Bolsonaro (49.1%).
He is the first Brazilian president to begin a third term as head of state after leading the country between 2003 and 2011. To say that the founder of the Great Workers’ Party (PT) has come a long way is an understatement.
Convicted of corruption and money laundering
We rewind. July 12, 2017: Judge Sergio Moro sentences Lula to nine years and six months in prison for corruption and money laundering. He is accused of having received an apartment by the sea in exchange for contracts for a construction company.
This sentence comes after the anti-corruption operation “Lava Jato” -headed by Sergio Moro- revealed the system of bribes that linked the public company Petrobras with construction groups, politicians and lobbyists.
Lula pleads not guilty but on January 24, 2018, the TRF4 Court of Appeals rejects his appeal and increases his sentence to 12 years and one month in prison. The decision to imprison him becomes final when the Supreme Court rejects a final appeal filed by Lula’s lawyers. The next day, the courts issue a deposit order.
The ex-metalhead takes refuge for two days in the metallurgical facilities of Sao Bernardo do Campo, near Sao Paulo, surrounded by a crowd of supporters. He finally agrees to surrender.
580 days in jail
The scenario of the Brazilian elections, scheduled for October 2018, has just changed. Lula, who had left power with 87% favorable opinions, was the overwhelming favorite in this presidential election. Instead of returning to the head of the country, the former head of state could end his days in the prison of Curitiba (South of Brazil) where he is imprisoned.
The turn benefits Jair Bolsonaro. That he is elected president of Brazil against Lula’s protégé, Fernando Haddad. As soon as he assumed the presidency, the far-right elected Sergio Moro as Minister of Justice. Lula bites her nails.
The bright spot comes on November 7, 2019. By a slim majority, Supreme Court Justices ruled to end the case law that a person can be jailed on their first conviction on appeal, though other remedies are still possible, as was the case with Lula.
The next day, Lula is released from prison after having spent 580 days there. He is acclaimed by thousands of followers. A beginning of rebirth. This materializes a little more on March 8, 2021. That day, a Supreme Court judge, Edson Fachin, orders the cancellation of his convictions for corruption, making him eligible to face Jair Bolsonaro in the 2022 presidential elections, without exonerate him. him for all that.
a difficult victory
A decision confirmed by the rest of the magistrates of the high court in the plenary session of April 15. As for Sergio Moro, who had sentenced him, the latter is declared “partial” in this case by the Supreme Court. It is established that the former minister sought to discredit Lula ahead of the 2018 presidential election.
The rest of the film then seems obvious: Lula will be elected president of Brazil in October. However, the campaign turns out to be more complicated than expected. Although the former head of state has created the largest coalition in the country’s history – allying himself, for example, with Géraldo Alckim (centre-right) whom he defeated in the 2006 presidential elections – the PT’s business corruption remains on the agenda. mind of many Brazilians. Opposite, Jair Bolsonaro, although weakened by his management of the Covid-19 crisis, retains many followers.
This materializes in the first round of the presidential elections on October 2. Lula was expecting a triumphant victory, he was finally felled by his opponent, who resisted better than expected. He is only slightly ahead of him, winning 48.2% of the vote, while the outgoing president manages to win 43.2% of the vote. Second bad news for the leader of the PT: the Bolsonaristas become a majority in both chambers of the Brazilian Parliament after the legislative elections.
The story ends well. Lula is elected president of Brazil, ahead of Jair Bolsonaro by just over two million votes. Although his tenure promises to be difficult, he has never been more deserving of the nickname “Brazilian phoenix.”
Source: BFM TV
