This decision is another legal victory for Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. Judge Sergio Moro, at the origin of the first conviction of the former left-wing president for corruption, was declared “partial” on Tuesday March 23 by the Supreme Court of Brazil.
Lula, 75, had already seen all of his convictions overturned for technicality by a judge of the same Supreme Court two weeks ago, becoming eligible again to face far-right President Jair Bolsonaro in the 2022 poll. .
Discredit thrown on the operation “Lava Jato”
The decision of this Tuesday, taken by three votes to two by the second chamber of the highest court of Brazil, is also a severe questioning of the operation “Lava Jato” (“express washing”), the largest anti-corruption investigation of the country’s history, of which Judge Moro was the leading figure.
His impartiality had been questioned when he agreed at the end of 2018 to become Jair Bolsonaro’s justice minister. He resigned with a crash last April from his post, denouncing interference by the president. “Lava Jato” was then further discredited by the revelation of message exchanges by the site The Intercept Brasil, showing collusion between prosecutors and Judge Moro. Brazilian justice officially put an end to the famous anti-corruption operation on February 3.
The main feat of arms of this magistrate had been the conviction of Lula at first instance in July 2017: the one who was president from 2003 to 2010 was accused of having received a triplex by the sea in exchange for favors in the award public procurement.
After being convicted on appeal, the former turner-miller had served eighteen months of imprisonment from April 2018 to November 2019, before being released thanks to another decision of the Supreme Court. Before being imprisoned, he was a favorite in the presidential race, finally won by Jair Bolsonaro.
A duel of titans looms
In its appeal, deemed admissible by the Supreme Court on Tuesday, Lula’s defense considered that Judge Moro had investigated against the former president (2003-2010) throughout the investigation of the triplex case , Due to “Political motivations”, to prevent him from running for the third term. Lula has repeatedly denounced a political plot against him.
“Today’s decision is another political victory for Lula, whose eligibility [à la présidentielle de 2022] is in the process of being confirmed according to the successive decisions of the Supreme Court ”, estimated the consulting firm Prospectiva shortly after Tuesday’s judgment. Even if he does not “Not have the head to a candidacy in 2022”, Lula’s return to the political arena has completely reshuffled the cards. Lula has not stopped attacking Jair Bolsonaro’s record, especially his “Foolish decisions” in its chaotic management of the Covid-19 health crisis, which killed nearly 300,000 people in Brazil.
