Whether 鈥渇ree or imprisoned,鈥澛燣uiz Inacio Lula da Silva聽鈥渨ill be elected president鈥 of Brazil following October's general election, said former Brazilian President聽Dilma Rousseff, speaking during a visit to Buenos Aires, Argentina, on May 1.
Dilma said the recent attacks on Lula and the Workers鈥 Party are all part of a 鈥渓awfare鈥 against the left in the country.聽
She explained that his political opponents need Lula imprisoned because they 鈥渓ack a candidate鈥 capable of winning the upcoming election and linked the move to the "parliamentary coup鈥 that led to her聽聽in 2016.
On May Day, Brazilians flooded cities with thousands of protesters demanding jobs and Lula鈥檚 release. Central Workers鈥 Union head Vagner Freitas said Judge Sergio Moro, who is in charge of the聽Car Wash corruption scandal hearings, wants to "prevent (a Lula) victory" in the presidential elections.
Lula also release another聽letter聽to his supporters on May 1, telling them to "continue to resist聽together because we鈥檙e in this just cause for聽democracy, for the rights of the people".
Having been detained at the federal police headquarters in Curitiba since April 7, for supposedly receiving an apartment as a kickback in the national Car Wash corruption scandal, Lula also denounced the April 28 drive-by shooting on the Free Lula聽camp.
Two people were injured, with one said to be in serious condition with a bullet wound that penetrated his neck. Nobody has been arrested in relation to the armed assault.
Despite his imprisonment, Lula has topped every electoral poll this year.
Lula's two terms in office were marked by a slew of social programs, lifting millions of Brazilians out of poverty and removing the country from the聽United Nations聽World Hunger Map. He left office with a record approval rating of聽83% in 2011, according to Datafolha.
[Abridged from .]