Lula: "I demand that the Public Prosecutor's Office identify who I bribed."
In an interview with journalist Fernando Morais, from the website Nocaute, former president Lula expressed indignation with the Federal Public Prosecutor's Office of Brasília, which accused him of influence peddling, money laundering, and criminal organization for allegedly benefiting from the approval of amendments and the purchase of Gripen fighter jets by the Brazilian government; according to Lula, the Public Prosecutor's Office will have to point out who he corrupted: "They accused me, now they will have to prove it. They will have to give, one by one, the names they claim I corrupted."
247 - In his first statement - not counting those made through his lawyers - after the charges filed against him by the Public Prosecutor's Office in the context of Operation Zelotes, former President Lula expressed indignation in an interview with journalist Fernando Morais, from Knockout siteHis son, Luís Cláudio Lula da Silva, and two other people were also indicted.
"They, the prosecutors from the Public Ministry, will have to say one by one, name by name, who I corrupted in the Ministry of Aeronautics, in a foreign company, and in the National Congress," Lula declared by phone on Friday evening, the 9th.
Lula is accused of allegedly benefiting from the extension of tax incentives for vehicle manufacturers through Provisional Measure 627, and also of interfering in the purchase of 36 Gripen fighter jets by the Brazilian government. These events allegedly occurred between 2013 and 2015, when Lula was no longer president.
The complaint has not yet been reviewed by the Federal Court, which will decide whether to accept or reject the accusation. If accepted, Lula will become a defendant for the fourth time. In a statement released yesterday, Lula's lawyers pointed to delusion and persecution on the part of the prosecutors and stressed that there is no evidence against the former president. Read the full statement below:
Nota
The indictment filed today (December 9, 2016) by the Federal Public Prosecutor's Office against former President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and his son Luis Claudio Lula da Silva, among others, is based on proceedings that were conducted in secret and without access to the defense.
Even after the indictment was released in a statement, the defense was not allowed access to the content of the accusation. This recurring tactic of the Federal Public Prosecutor's Office, transforming the indictment into a media spectacle to the detriment of the defense, undermines the already crumbling Democratic Rule of Law in the country, and prevents, at this moment, the confrontation of the arguments used by the Federal Prosecutors who signed the document.
Neither former President Lula nor his son participated in or had knowledge of any act related to the purchase of fighter jets from the Swedish company SAAB, nor to the extension of tax benefits related to Provisional Measure No. 627/2013, converted into Law No. 12.973/2014. Luis Claudio received remuneration from Marcondes & Mautoni for work effectively carried out that enabled the holding of American football championships in Brazil.
To claim that Lula interfered in the fighter jet purchase process in 2014 means attacking and calling into question the Brazilian Armed Forces and all the authorities who accepted the opinion issued by its members.
By claiming that Lula interfered in the approval of provisional measures and laws, the Federal Public Prosecutor's Office is attacking the entire Brazilian Parliament and other authorities who participated in these acts.
The charges filed are the result of another delusion by some members of the Public Prosecutor's Office who are using laws and legal procedures as a way to persecute Lula and harm his political career, a phenomenon that is internationally known as "lawfare".
One of the tactics of "lawfare" consists of filing successive lawsuits without substance against the political enemy, so that all their time is devoted to giving depositions and their legal defense, and also to generate in public opinion the idea of a diffuse suspicion.
To date, more than 20 witnesses called by the Federal Public Prosecutor's Office itself have been heard in relation to two other lawsuits filed against Lula, and all of them denied the accusation. This exemplifies how Lula has been irresponsibly and gratuitously accused by some members of the Federal Public Prosecutor's Office who clearly use their positions to promote political actions. One of the Public Prosecutors who signed the complaint maintained several offensive posts against Lula and members of his party on his social media account. Although this fact was brought to the attention of the National Council of the Public Prosecutor's Office, no action was taken, allowing the public official to use his powers to carry out a revenge campaign against Lula.
Cristiano Zanin Martins and Roberto Teixeira
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