Lula's defense team will appeal to the Supreme Court against the leak.
In a statement regarding a report in the newspaper O Estado de S. Paulo, which states that "Lula's son received approximately R$10 million," lawyers Roberto Teixeira and Cristiano Zanin Martins say it is "unacceptable that the leak occurred even before Luís Cláudio's lawyers had access to the proceedings, in compliance with Minister Dias Toffoli's decision"; for them, this is a "reprisal against the lawyers seeking their client's rights and against the Minister himself."
247 - Lawyers for the family of former President Lula, Roberto Teixeira and Cristiano Zanin Martins, released a statement on Tuesday, March 31, denying the accusations in the report "Lula's son received around R$10 million," published by Estado de S. Paulo, and repudiating the leak of information from a case they only gained access to yesterday.
"Beyond the falsehood published, it is unacceptable that the leak occurred even before Luís Cláudio's lawyers had access to the proceedings, in compliance with Minister Dias Toffoli's decision," the defense stated, referring to Lula's son. According to the lawyers, this is "retaliation against the lawyers seeking their client's rights and against the Minister himself."
The case "will be taken to the Supreme Federal Court so that the necessary measures can be taken to investigate the authorship of the crime committed," they announced. Read the full statement below:
The article "Lula's son received around R$10 million" (Estado de S.Paulo edition, May 31, 2016) is proof of a crime against the administration of justice. One day after the publication of Minister Dias Toffoli's decision, which finally allowed Luís Cláudio Lula da Silva's lawyers access to proceedings related to Operation Zelotes, a request they had unsuccessfully made since December 2015, the newspaper illegally leaked confidential data from the investigation.
The undeniable truth is that Luís Cláudio did not receive the amounts indicated by the newspaper. The company Touchodow Promocoes e Eventos Ltda. operates in the organization of the main American football championship in the country and, for that purpose, earns revenue through sponsorship and ticket sales, like any other company in the sector. And it was for this activity that the sponsorship funds obtained legally were channeled.
In addition to the falsehood published, it is unacceptable that the leak occurred even before Luís Cláudio's lawyers had access to the proceedings, in compliance with Minister Dias Toffoli's decision.
What can be deduced from this fact? It appears to be retaliation against lawyers seeking their clients' rights and against the Minister himself, who granted the measure based on an established understanding within the Court (Summary 14). The incident will be brought before the Supreme Federal Court so that the necessary measures can be taken to investigate the authorship of the crime committed.
The newspaper has long used its pages to cast undue suspicion on Luís Cláudio. And it should be noted that, after being investigated for approximately a year as part of Operation Zelotes, no illegal act attributable to him was identified, for the simple reason that Luís Cláudio always obeyed the law.
It is the media outlet that is committing illegal acts in its persecutory and defamatory campaign.
Roberto Teixeira and Cristiano Zanin Martins