Former Brazilian president Lula da Silva on Friday said the country is governed by a “gang of madmen” in his first interview from prison, where he is serving an almost nine-year sentence.
The leftist ex-leader, 73, reiterated his innocence and told newspapers El Pais and Folha de Sao Paulo he is obsessed with unmasking those behind his conviction, which has seen him incarcerated for the past year for bribery and money laundering.
I know very well the place history holds for me. And I also know who will be in the dumpster, said Lula, charismatic as ever in video clips published by Spanish newspaper El Pais's Brazilian edition.
The interview is the first Lula has given since he was arrested in April of last year.
It can't be that this country is governed by this gang of madmen ... the country doesn't deserve that and above all the people don't deserve that, Folha de S. Paulo reported Lula as saying of President Jair Bolsonaro's far-right administration.
Bolsonaro entered office in January, defeating Workers' Party candidate Fernando Haddad, who replaced Lula after he was banned from running.
Lula was convicted as part of Operation Car Wash, a wide-reaching probe into corruption surrounding state oil firm Petrobras.
This week, an appeals court reduced his 12-year sentence to eight years and 10 months. The ruling could mean Lula is eligible for semi-open prison later this year.
Lula is also appealing a second sentence of almost 13 years handed down in February for accepting renovation work by two construction companies on a farmhouse in exchange for ensuring they won contracts with Petrobras. If that sentence is upheld, it will be added to the previous one.
Top Comments
Disclaimer & comment rulesFREE LULA
Apr 27th, 2019 - 06:41 pm 0https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b3xm1WLDeRY&list=FLmXPTu1f8AdGlizWNiASx2A&index=4&t=184s
Free ALL the crooks [a majority is already free ANYWAY]!
Apr 29th, 2019 - 02:07 am 0The real criminal is rotting in prison where he deserves to dwell in misery.
May 01st, 2019 - 08:05 pm 0Commenting for this story is now closed.
If you have a Facebook account, become a fan and comment on our Facebook Page!