Brazilians Join 'Free Lula' Caravan Heading to Curitiba Prison

The Brazilian Worker’s Party (PT) started on Friday the “Free Lula Caravan,” a massive march which will take place across several locations until  Sunday, where they will end at at the city of Curitiva; this is where former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has been held as a political prisoner since April 7, 2018.

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"Lula is going through a political, illegal, unjust and arbitrary imprisonment... we are fighting bravely for his so that he can help us face what the current Government is doing with the country," Marcio Marcedo, the PT deputy chairman said and added that "the 'Free Lula' Caravan is a struggle in defense of the people and national sovereignty."

According to local media Brasil de Fato, over 17 capital cities confirmed their participation in the Free Lula campaign, which will also be supported in 15 countries around the world. 

In France, for example, the Left Party leader and former presidential candidate, Jean-Luc Melenchon, called for a demonstration in Paris on Sunday to support Lula, a “victim of a legal and media attack.”

"We denounce the political nature of former President Lula’s imprisonment,” Melechon said, recalling that Lula was arrested when he was the favorite to win the 2018 presidential elections. The French politician also explained that "the judge who sentenced Lula was Sergio Moro, current Justice Minister of Bolsonaro, the principal beneficiary of Lula's prison," as Brasil 247 reported.

“Free Lula Caravan: Former Presidencial candidate Fernando Haddad, the Workers’ Party President Gleisi Hoffman, and other PT leaders will participate in demonstrations in Porto Alegre (April 5), Florianopolis (April 6) and Curitiba (April 7). Stay on the inside!”

Former presidencial candidate, Fernando Haddad, also joined the Free Lula caravan along with allied parties, social movements, trade unions and citizen's organizations.

"The population is worried about the unjust imprisonment of Lula as well as the Bolsonaro administration's actions," the PT deputy chairman stressed and pointed out that "together with the Brazilian people, we are going to fight to reverse this country's sad situation."

In preparation for this weekend´s demonstrations, the "Free Lula" National Committee released a ´logo´ which gives the tone of the political and social struggle that the Brazilian people have been wielding since a year ago.

“Incarcerating former President Lula was also a way of arresting the Brazilian people, withdrawing our rights and ending all the social advances we have experienced in recent years. That is why the people remain mobilized around Lula and his freedom!,” the Committee said.