September 18, 2018

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Although a large part of the Brazilian press tries to minimize or even hide the enormous international repercussions caused by Lula’s political imprisonment, more and more international leaders join the chorus of those who cry for his liberation.

On Thursday (13), it was the turn of the former Italian Prime Minister Massimo D’Alema and the former governor of the Federal District of Mexico, Cuauhtémoc Cárdenas, to visit in Curitiba what they call “the greatest president that Brazil ever had”.

More than giving solidarity to Lula, both also came to the country with the mission to make it clear that, like most of the Brazilian people think, the conviction that culminated in their political imprisonment on April 7 is a legal aberration. Or, in D’Alema’s words, “a monstrosity.”

“This is the view of much of European legal thinking. The repercussion in Europe did not hit the image of the former president. On the contrary, most of European lawyers examined the case and found that the conviction was determined without the guarantee of the rights of the accused. And yet without any proof.” he criticizes.

For Cárdenas, who also suffered from legal and political persecution in Mexico, it is impressive to see Lula with an intact disposition to maintain the very resistance of the prison. “Lula has the same combative spirit as always. This made us leave there with great optimism, even if the situation is currently of extreme injustice” he says.

The former governor of Mexico City also took the opportunity to send a message to all the Brazilians who hope that justice will be done: “We are confident that the fight that takes place from here and that spreads throughout Brazil will culminate in the recognition of the will of the people themselves, which is to see Lula free. ”

D’Alema has a similar opinion. “I have met Lula many times in my life and have never imagined him as a political prisoner. But I met him here today as I found him a few years ago on the plateau as president: the same spirit, the same courage, the same vision and the same desire to serve the Brazilian people.” he reiterates.

The former Italian prime minister also believes that Lula will continue to be one of the most important political leaders in the history of democracy in Latin America. “Despite the injustice he suffered, he is a quiet man who will continue to be very precious to the country. All this after being the biggest president the country ever had. This explains the enormous solidarity that everyone has for him in various parts of the world, including people who are not necessarily left.” he concludes.

By Henrique Nunes from PT News