Lula insists on trying to hide the sun with a sieve, says FHC.
According to the PSDB party member, if the former PT president asked the Supreme Court to postpone the Mensalão trial, it's because he insists on the theory that the case is a farce.
247 – In Beijing, former president FHC commented on the Mendes-Lula controversy. According to him, if the pressure to influence the Supreme Court in choosing the date for the Mendes trial is confirmed, Lula "is insisting on trying to hide the sun with a sieve." Read more in Fabiano Maisonnave's article in Folha:
Former President Fernando Henrique Cardoso, 80, stated yesterday that if his successor, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, truly tried to influence the choice of date for the Mensalão trial, he is "insisting on sweeping the problem under the rug."
"He holds the view that the Mensalão scandal is a farce. He made that statement in Paris [in July 2005] in which he tries to downplay the Mensalão scandal. If he did that—I can't say for sure, because I don't have the data—he's insisting on the same thesis, trying to sweep the problem under the rug," said FHC in Beijing, where he is participating in a seminar organized by Itaú bank.
Veja magazine revealed that Lula, Supreme Court Justice Gilmar Mendes, and former Defense Minister Nelson Jobim met in April. According to Mendes, Lula said the trial should take place after this year's elections. Lula and Jobim deny this account.
"As president, you can't pressure the court. It's even more illegitimate as president. As a citizen, you have even more freedom. Still, I think we should maintain the necessary distance so that institutions have their respectability. But I don't want to get into [the discussion]."
FHC stressed that it is necessary to "remain calm, let events take their true dimension" and that he is confident in a fair judgment by the Supreme Court.
"I think Brazil has matured," he said. "This episode will not contaminate the decisions [of the Supreme Court]." For FHC, "attempts to disrupt such a decision, from either side, do not help."
When questioned about the economy, FHC said that adjustments must be made without changing course and that lowering interest rates "at any cost" is not advisable.
"We have to look at the consequences. You can't have definite reductions, where the interest rate doesn't matter, you have to lower it at any cost. It's not at any cost. The cost is inflation."