PT party considers censoring Brazilian Chamber of Deputies minutes for stating that Lula is a bandit

By Cristyan Costa

The federal deputy Marcel van Hattem (Novo) criticized the PT’s proposal to censor the Chamber minutes in which President Lula da Silva is called a “bandit” (criminal).

“If we say that Lula is honest, then, yes, we are committing fake news,” said the congressman on Friday, Feb. 11.”

“This is absurd.”

According to van Hattem, the idea came from Congressman Tadeu Veneri (PT), who was unhappy with speeches by colleagues that Lula was a thief.

“This is the PT that loves to boast about being against censorship but, in practice, wants to define what you can and cannot say,” said Van Hattem.

Since Supreme Court Justice Luiz Edson Fachin’s decision that the federal court in Curitiba has no jurisdiction to try Lula, the left has been selling the theory that Lula is innocent.

Lula was imprisoned for almost two years at the headquarters of the Federal Police in Curitiba for actions under the Lava Jato.

Between 2017 and 2019, the former president was convicted of money laundering and passive corruption in three instances, tried by nine judges, but in 2021 had the sentences overturned by Fachin.

This is due to the understanding of procedural error by lack of jurisdiction.

In January of this year, the 12th Federal Criminal Court of the Federal District dismissed the case against Lula because of the extinction of punishment by prescription.

In June 2021, the STF considered Sergio Moro partial in the triplex case and annulled that conviction as well.

The understanding of partiality was extended to other proceedings, and all the actions went back to square one.

The proceedings do not mean that the PT member was acquitted since the decisions were for the annulment and dismissal of the sentences.

Of the 11 most common charges brought against Lula during his time as president, he was only acquitted in three because of lack of evidence.

The others are all cases of dismissal, procedural errors, or have been suspended.

With information from Revista Oeste