Against Lula's Victimization, President Temer Asks Cabinet Ministers to Stay Silent

01/25/2018 - 10h20

The President of Brazil, Michel Temer, ordered his cabinet ministers not to make any public comments on the upholding of former president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva's conviction on Wednesday, January 24.

The government fears that any praise regarding the decision made by the Federal Regional Court (TRF) of the 4th region or a defense of the judiciary's independence, even in a general way, could be used by Lula himself to support the idea that there was of a campaign against him or victimized.

To avoid this interpretation, President Temer said in an interview to Folha on Thursday, January 18, that he would like to have Lula running for president rather than removed from the election.

President Temer's order is for ministers and advisors to avoid making comments on the result of the trial on Wednesday, January 24.

"Regarding former president Lula, the government has no comment. It is a question of the judiciary branch and it is being dealt with by it," said Carlos Marun, of the government secretariat.

In tune with Marun, Presidential Chief of Staff Eliseu Padilha did not want to comment and Education Minister Mendonça Filho also was silent.

In the background, however, President Temer believes that the doubts now revolving Lula's candidacy, which are likely to continue up until shortly before the presidential election, could break the right-left opposition shown in the poles.

The forecast is that, if Lula stays out of the dispute, the rightist field is likely to lose strength and the most affected candidate could be Congressman Jair Bolsonaro (PSC-RJ).

In this case, it is expected that the center-oriented candidates, such as those close to the current administration, will profit, including Geraldo Alckmin (PSDB) and Rodrigo Maia (DEM).

Translated by THOMAS MUELLO

Read the article in the original language

	Denis Balibouse /Reuters
	Brazil's President Michel Temer gestures as he speaks during the World Economic Forum (WEF) annual meeting in Davos