They Are Trying to Fabricate a Candidate for 2018, Says Ex-President Lula

10/27/2017 - 10h42

Former president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva said on his campaign trail through the state of Minas Gerais on Thursday (the 26th), that "they are trying to fabricate a candidate" for the presidential race.

"I can see what is going on in politics. There's a lot of 'he said, she said'. There are a lot of potential candidates. They are trying to fabricate a candidate. And it will only be defined around May or June".

In the speeches he gave throughout the countryside of Minas Gerais, Lula began to mention the name of TV host Luciano Huck as a potential adversary.

"Let them pick [someone from] the Prosecutor General's Office, or Globo, or Luciano Huck, or [federal judge Sergio] Moro to run", he said in a speech.

According to the former president, the electoral scenario will only become clearer eight months from now. When it came to his own candidacy for 2018, Lula said that it "will depend on how the Judiciary behaves".

On the eve of his 72nd birthday, Lula received a blessing from indigenous chief Benvina Pankararu, repeating a ritual that took place around 30 years ago.

"I was very young", said the chief, who is now 84 years old. According to her, Lula "needs to be in our prayers".

The ritual, which took place in the village of Apukare, in Coronel Murta (Minas Gerais), brought together members of both the Aranã and Pankararu tribes.

CAMPAIGN TRAIL

On his campaign trail through the state of Minas Gerais, which began on Monday (the 23rd), Lula said he plans on rebuilding bridges with entrepreneurs and patching alliances with those beyond his electoral base.

The trail will last 8 days and there are a total of 12 cities in the state that are on his itinerary.

Translated by THOMAS MATHEWSON

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	Eduardo Anizelli/Folhapress
	Former president Lula received a blessing from indigenous chief Benvina Pankararu, repeating a ritual that took place around 30 years ago