Charges of Corruption and Money Laundering Are Fiction, Says Brazil Lula's Lawyer

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Brazzil

Charges of Corruption and Money Laundering Are Fiction, Says Brazil Lula's Lawyer

Elaine Patricia Cruz 27 August 2016

Cristiano Zanin Martins, lawyer for Brazil's former President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and his wife Marisa Letícia, said it strikes him as noteworthy that actions under Operation Car Wash which target his client are always conducted at key moments in the country's politics, referring to the conclusion of the impeachment trial of suspended President Dilma Rousseff at the Senate.

The Brazilian Federal Police is seeking charges of passive corruption, misrepresentation, and money laundering against Lula and his wife as part of an investigation into the acquisition of a triplex apartment in Guarujá, on the coast of São Paulo.

In March, shortly before the motion for Rousseff's impeachment was approved by the lower house, Lula was coercively taken by the Federal Police for questioning at the Congonhas Airport, in São Paulo, under Operation Car Wash.

"There is a very strong political element to it, as he has been the victim of arbitrary acts, carried out with purposes strange to the case, like the release of intercepted conversations (…), concomitant with the political moments of the country," said the lawyer.

Read more: http://www.brazzil.com/24016-charges-of-corruption-and-money-laundering-are-fiction-says-brazil-lula-s-lawyer

[Judi Lynn]

1. Chomsky, Oliver Stone, and 20 Other Celebrities Decry Coup Against Brazil's President

Chomsky, Oliver Stone, and 20 Other Celebrities Decry Coup Against Brazil's President

Nika Knight 26 August 2016

Twenty-two international intellectuals, writers, actors, and activists sent a letter to the Brazilian government condemning the impeachment of President Dilma Rousseff.

Naomi Klein, Oliver Stone, Noam Chomsky, Susan Sarandon, Arundhati Roy, and 17 other human rights activists, intellectuals, and public figures on Wednesday sent a letter to the Brazilian government condemning the impeachment of the country's President Dilma Rousseff, and demanding that Brazil's senate "respect the October 2014 electoral process which over 100 million people took part in."

In the letter, which was published by the U.K.-based group No Coup in Brazil, the luminaries argue that "Brazil is a major regional power and has the largest economy in Latin America. If this sustained attack on its democratic institutions is successful, the negative shock waves will reverberate throughout the region."

Rousseff's impeachment trial began on Thursday, and was suspended briefly on Friday when the proceedings devolved into a shouting match.

More:
http://www.brazzil.com/24014-chomsky-oliver-stone-and-20-other-celebrities-decry-coup-against-brazil-s-president

[forest444]

2. Yes; but the Latin american far right never lets facts get in the way of a good story.

Just ask Cristina Kirchner - who, incidentally, is finally taking matters into her own hands and is suing a few RW shills for slander.

You should see them now: "oh, we always wrote those headlines in the conditional tense" "oh, we never said she was a crook!" "oh, she's just trying to destablilize poor Macri as he saves the country!"

It's Monica Lewinsky politics. Basically, every time someone discovers a real crime by Macri; they gin up a fictitious one by Cristina Kirchner. The Brazilians are doing the same thing - except, being Brazil, it's done on a much grander scale.

Thanks for keeping uus informed about the twists and turns of the coup against Dilma, Judi. I noticed OBenario was back for a bit a few days ago; I hope he posts more on this as well.