Lula criticizes amnesty and downplays Bolsonaro's potential candidacy in 2026: "If it's against me, he'll lose again."
The president said it was "hilarious" that the coup plotters were asking for amnesty even before being convicted: "Don't they believe they're innocent?"
247 - In an interview this Wednesday (5) with radio stations in Minas Gerais, President Lula (PT) criticized the movement of the Brazilian far-right to grant amnesty to former President Jair Bolsonaro (PL) and others involved in the attempted coup d'état in Brazil in 2022. According to Lula, the coup plotters themselves are condemning themselves by asking for amnesty even before the end of the process.
“People are very interesting. The process hasn't even finished and people already want amnesty. In other words, they don't believe they are innocent? They should believe they are innocent and not be asking for amnesty before the judge determines what the punishment is or if there will be any punishment. What we are guaranteeing is a highly democratic trial process, in which they have every right to defend themselves. Now, when people haven't even been convicted and are asking for amnesty, it's because they are condemning themselves. They think they did exactly what the Justice system is saying they did. So, first, wait for the trial, defend yourselves. There will be a conviction, you honor it or not,” he said.
Following this, the president reiterated that Bolsonaro will have the right to defend himself, something he himself did not have when he was arrested in 2018, and said that he will win the election if they face each other again. “You have the right to defend yourselves. There will be the right to defense that never existed for me, and for him [Jair Bolsonaro] there will be. And if the Justice system understands that he can run for election, he can run. And if it's against me, he will lose again. There is no possibility of lies winning an election in this country. There is no possibility for bluffers, for those who have no respect for the children who watch their lies on television and the internet. I am very calm about this. The Justice system will decide the process. The Justice system will acquit or convict,” he pointed out.
Lula also recalled the coup plot involving his assassination, as well as that of Vice President Geraldo Alckmin and Minister Alexandre de Moraes of the Supreme Federal Court (STF), and drew a comparison with the situation of communists in Brazil in the last century.
"I think that whoever tried to stage a coup, whoever orchestrated, including, the death of the president, the vice-president, and the president of the Electoral Court, does not deserve acquittal. I think so. I say it every day: for less than what they did, many people from the Communist Party were killed, many people were imprisoned, Prestes spent 50 years answering to the Brazilian Justice system," he said.
“They tried to stage a coup, they announced and prepared the death of the President of the Republic, the death of the Vice-President of the Republic, the death of the President of the Electoral Court, and they think they are innocent? That makes no sense. They must pay for the evils they committed. If they are innocent, they will be acquitted. If they are guilty, they will be punished. That is what will happen,” he concluded.
Finally, Lula said he believed Bolsonaro wanted to stage a coup and criticized him for fleeing to the United States to avoid handing over the presidential sash. “Only Bolsonaro knows the truth: if he wanted to stage a coup, he knows he did, that's why he fled to Miami. If he were a man who hadn't orchestrated all that rotten behavior, he would have stayed and given me the presidency like any civilized human being would. But he didn't. Let's wait for the trial. I find it hilarious that they're asking for amnesty before being convicted. It means they don't believe in themselves,” Lula stated.
