Brazil: Artists, Intellectuals Support Lula's Presidential Bid

Hundreds of Brazilian artists, intellectuals and politicians met Tuesday in Rio de Janeiro to demonstrate against Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva's looming Petrobras corruption trial, the outcome of which could prevent him from running for president.

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Present at the Oi Casa Grande Theater were singers Beth Carvalho and Noca da Portela; actors Osmar Prado, Bemvindo Siqueira, Tonico Pereira, Silvio Tendler, Dira Paes, Mônica Martelli, Herson Capri and Gregorio Duvivier; and intellectuals Luiz Eduardo Soares and Marcia Tiburi.

Former minister Celso Amorim; senator Lindbergh Farias, and Guilherme Boulos, leader of the Workers Without Roof Movement (MTST), also took part in the protest.

Lula was greeted enthusiastically by supporters on his arrival, but he also faced an opposition group, although no incidents were reported.

Members of Lula's political party also joined the event, entitled "For democracy and for Lula's right to be candidate: artists and intellectuals with Lula."

Last month, the documentary "Elections without Lula are fraud" was released bearing the signatures of more than 73,000 activists, artists and intellectuals.

Personalities who attached their names to the film, which brands Lula's trial "illegal," include Noam Chomsky, singer Chico Buarque and former Latin American presidents Jose Mujica, Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner, Ernesto Samper and Rafael Correa.

Lula, along with his supporters from the Worker's Party (PT) which he helped found, has called for a month of public demonstrations, culminating in Porto Alegre on January 24, the day his sentence is due to be ratified.

The former president is facing a nine-year-and-a-half prison sentence for his alleged involvement in a corruption scandal centered on petroleum company Petrobras.

Lula has said that Sergio Moro, the judge due to sentence him, should be exonerated for the "sake of public service." 

He later joked about the allegations, saying it makes no sense to steal a 500,000 brazilian reals (US$155,000) apartment when he could have taken part in the Odebrecht scandal and walked away instead with an apartment full of money and a bank account in Switzerland.

Presidential candidate Guilherme Boulos, of the Socialism and Liberty Party, denounced the trial as “outright persecution” and vowed to attend the Porto Alegre sentencing.

"In order to defend Lula, it's not necessary to totally agree with his proposals or be 100 percent synthesized with his program," Boulos said. "It's just necessary to defend the constitution."

Actor Gregorio Duvivier has said his vote depend on the political alliances Lula and his party make for the next elections. "It doesn't matter how charismatic he is, we will pressure him to make left-wing alliances," Duvivier said.

A similar demonstration is due to be held on Thursday at the Sao Paolo Catholic University Theater.