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News > Latin America

Brazil: Thousands March to Support Lula's Candidacy

  • Thousands of MST militants arrive to Brasilia to demand for Lula's liberation and support his candidacy.

    Thousands of MST militants arrive to Brasilia to demand for Lula's liberation and support his candidacy. | Photo: PT na Camara - Rodrigo Pilha

Published 14 August 2018
Opinion

Workers' Party president Gleisi Hoffmann has said any move to disqualify Lula is anti-democratic and would impede Brazil's stabilization.

Participants in the Free Lula March, which journeyed for over 50 kilometers, arrived in the Brasilia, Brazil's capital city Tuesday. The participants will take part in a series of marches at the Supreme Electoral Court (TSE) to support former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva's presidential candidacy and to demand his freedom.

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Tuesday marked the fourth day of the over five thousand person-strong protest, which includes members of the Rural Landless Workers Movement (MST) and several other groups. The protesters have planned to camp outside the TSE, which will hear a case supporting Lula's candidacy on August 15th, at 16:00. 

Workers Party (PT), president Gleisi Hoffmann, has said any move to disqualify Lula is anti-democratic and would impede Brazil's stabilization. She said the PT will fight "until the end" to ensure the former President is registered since it represents what "the Brazilian people want."

Argentine activist, community organizer and recipient of the 1980 Nobel Peace Prize, Adolfo Perez Esquivel, also took part in the Free Lula March and will take part in other activities in support of Lula's candidacy. According to Esquivel, the far-right of Brazil is advancing its grip on power and demanding his freedom is the only way to give the Brazilian people a chance to decide. "which party has to govern..." because "Lula is currently a political prisoner."
 

The MST and other social movements also want to demonstrate their rejection of the neoliberal and austerity policies implemented by the government of President Michel Temer. Several political, academic and cultural activities will also take place until the 15th, such as concerts, talks, and demonstrations.

Former Brazilian president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who is leading in the pollsannounced that he would formally register as the Workers Party (PT) presidential candidate Tuesday, one day before the August 15 deadline. "They will not shut me up," began a letter written by Lula, who is being held in the Curitiba prison since early April. "I want to send you a message: yes, I am a candidate for president of the republic," Lula wrote in his communique read on a radio program on Monday.

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