Brazil: new Lava Jato judge considers Lula innocent

The new judge responsible for the actions of Operation Lava Jato, Eduardo Appio, considers President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva innocent in the processes to which he has been subjected.

He made the statement on Tuesday (28) during an interview with the portal UOL.

“President Lula is innocent from the judicial point of view because all his convictions were annulled due to the court’s incompetence,” Appio said.

According to the magistrate, the arrest of the PT leader “had no legal support”.

Appio criticized former judge Sergio Moro and former prosecutor Deltan Dallagnol.

“It is undeniable that those dialogues contaminated the operation’s credibility,” he said, referring to the leaking of dialogues between Lava Jato prosecutors and Moro.

“The issue, both of ‘Vaza Jato’ and the current senator assuming the post of minister in the Bolsonaro government, practically the day after the election, are facts that eroded credibility as a whole.”

The judge curled up when commenting on his identification in Justice’s electronic system, which he used to log in with the acronym “LUL22”.

This was a reference to the current president.

In the interview, Appio said he could not comment on the matter.

According to the judge, the issue is up to the cybersecurity team of e-proc – the electronic system of Justice processes.

“They are talking about an access username that identifies him with then-candidate and now-president Lula,” said columnist Josias de Souza.

Appio again said he could not answer the question.

According to the judge, these “factoids” harm the work of Justice.”

With information from Revista Oeste