Brazil's former President Lula makes a comeback

By James Blears

Brazil`s Supreme Court has annulled the corruption convictions of former President Luiz Inacio Lula Da Silva, by a majority ruling. The turning of the tide began in March, with one of their Judges Edson Fachin. He determined that a Federal Court who tried Lula, didn`t have the legal juristiction to handle the case. This was immediatly appealed by Brazil`s top prosecutor, but unsuccessfully.  Now with this latest vote, the case has been overturned via procedure. 

Sitting President Jair Bolsonaro has announced that he`s going to seek re-election and run for a second term.  He now has a powerful opponent in Lula, who led the country between 2003 and 2010.  Brazil has been hit exceptionally hard by the Pandemic, which has killed more than 365,000 people. The death toll is only second to that of the United States. Bolsonaro`s performance in combatting it has been widely criticized.  He mistakenly described Covid 19, as a little flu, didn`t wear a mask very often and he as well as his wife contracted it.  Lula, has seized upon all of this,  criticizing Bolsonaro`s response as imbecilic.  Lula aged 75 insists that the Supreme Court decision fully vindicates him. Bolsonaro, who`s nine years younger, has also gone on the political attack criticizing Lula and saying that people can draw their own conclusions. This will indeed happen,  with the Presidential Election in October next year. Current polls indicate it could well be neck and neck.