Brazil's 'Father of the Left' Lula Returns

Invalidation of Former Brazilian President's Prison Sentence
Emerges as Major Factor in 2022 Presidential Election

Former Brazilian President Luiz In?cio Lula da Silva
[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Suhwan] Luis Inacio Lula da Silva, the former president of Brazil also known as the "Father of the Left," is likely to resume political activities following the nullification of his prison sentence. As he emerges as a strong presidential candidate capable of competing against current President Jair Bolsonaro, he has become the biggest variable in the 2022 presidential election.

According to local media on the 8th (local time), the Brazilian Federal Supreme Court nullified the prison sentence against former President Lula, restoring his eligibility to run for office. In the ruling, Supreme Court Justice Edson Fachin declared the imprisonment based solely on the second trial verdict unjust, nullified the prison sentence, and ordered the related trial to be retried at the Federal Supreme Court.

With the restoration of his eligibility, speculation is rising that Lula will return to the political arena, drawing attention to the future direction of Brazil's presidential election. On the same day, Valor Econ?mico, Brazil's largest economic media outlet, described the situation as "Lula is back."

This has led to observations that a red light has been turned on for President Bolsonaro's path to re-election. Brazilian political commentator Thomas Traumann stated, "This ruling is good news for citizens opposing Bolsonaro's re-election." He added that if the presidential competition between left-wing Lula and far-right President Bolsonaro becomes a reality, "it would be similar to the contest between Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders in the United States."

Last week, a poll conducted by local research firm IPEC showed that 50% of respondents said they would support former President Lula in the next presidential election, significantly ahead of President Bolsonaro's 38%.

As a result, there are expectations that President Bolsonaro will strengthen extreme populist policies to secure re-election. Former Brazilian Health Minister Luiz Henrique Mandetta said, "Extremes meet. (The competition between Lula and Bolsonaro) means our politics will become more polarized."

Meanwhile, former President Lula served as president for about eight years from 2003 to 2011, leading economic growth and increasing the middle-class ratio in Brazil from 37% to 50%, significantly alleviating poverty.

Later, in 2018, during a corruption investigation triggered by evidence that the state-owned energy company Petrobras received bribes from other companies, former President Lula was also indicted on bribery charges and was sentenced to prison in the second trial, leading to his incarceration.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.