- Title: Lula accuses rivals of politicking in corruption conviction
- Date: 21st July 2017
- Summary: SAO PAULO, BRAZIL (JULY 20, 2017) (REUTERS) ***WARNING CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** FORMER PRESIDENT LULA WITH MICROPHONE AT RALLY SURROUNDED BY SUPPORTERS LULA SPEAKING TO SUPPORTERS AT RALLY GENERAL VIEW OF LULA ADDRESSING SUPPORTERS SUPPORTERS CHEERING LULA AND WITH THEIR MOBILE PHONES TAKING VIDEO OF LULA (SOUNDBITE) (Portuguese) FORMER PRESIDENT LUIZ INACIO LULA DA SILVA, SAYING: "They (rivals) can't defeat me politically so they want to defeat me with procedures. Everyday a procedure, everyday a disposition, everyday a summons. They (rivals) have never worked like an honest citizen. I will tell you that none of them (rivals) are as I am in this country." LULA SUPPORTERS CHEERING AND WAVING FLAGS FOR HIS AFFILIATED TRADE UNION GROUPS (SOUNDBITE) (Portuguese) FORMER PRESIDENT LUIZ INACIO LULA DA SILVA, SAYING: "And what is their (rivals) problem? I have learnt to walk with my head high in this country, and no one will make me lower my head. No one is scared of them, I want them to prove a single fault of mine." SUPPORTER HOLDING UP SIGN THAT READS "LULA INNOCENT" AND PAN TO STAGE AT RALLY WITH LULA LULA WITH FIST IN THE AIR RALLYING SUPPORTERS / WAVING BYE TO SUPPORTERS AND TAKING BOTTLE OF WATER
- Embargoed: 4th August 2017 02:19
- Keywords: Lula former president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva corruption conviction allegation protest rally Sao Paulo Brazil
- Location: SAO PAULO, BRAZIL
- City: SAO PAULO, BRAZIL
- Country: Brazil
- Topics: Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA0016QNSUH3
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Former Brazilian president Lula rallied supporters in Sao Paulo on Thursday (July 20), lambasting corruption charges against him as politicking and calling on his rivals to prove allegations against him.
Lula, one of the country's most popular politicians and a frontrunner for next year's presidential election, was convicted on corruption charges earlier this month and sentenced to nearly ten years in prison. Lula told supporters in Sao Paulo that his rivals resorted to the country's courts because they could not defeat him at the ballot box.
The ruling marked a stunning fall for Lula, who has won global praise for policies to reduce stinging inequality in Brazil. He was found guilty of accepting 3.7 million reais ($1.2 million) worth of bribes from engineering firm OAS SA, the amount of money prosecutors said the company spent refurbishing a beach apartment for Lula in return for his help winning contracts with state oil company Petroleo Brasileiro.
Lula has said he is innocent of the charges and will appeal the conviction. He has challenged his opponents to prove the charges against him. The verdict represented the highest-profile conviction yet in a sweeping corruption investigation that for over three years has rattled Brazil, revealing a sprawling system of graft at top levels of business and government, including in Temer's government. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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