SAO BERNARDO DO CAMPO, Brazil (Reuters) – Former Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva stormed the government of President Jair Bolsonaro for mishandling the pandemic and the economy in a speech that marked a return to the stage on Wednesday politics after the revocation of his graft convictions.
Lula, whose corruption convictions were overturned by a Supreme Court judge on Monday allowing him to retry a political office, said he had not decided whether to run in next year’s presidential election. , but his appearance had the feel of a campaign event.
“Health, jobs and justice for Brazil,” read a banner hung above the stage of the Sao Bernardo do Campo metalworkers ’union, where Lula’s political career began as an organizer in the 1980s.
“This country is disorganized and is falling apart because it has no government,” he told the audience.
Lula attacked Bolsonaro directly for his history of handling the coronavirus pandemic and the economy. “People do not need weapons. People need jobs, ”he said, ridiculing Bolsonaro’s pro-gun policy.
The surprise restoration of Lula’s political rights could spark a clash between the left, which ruled Brazil from 2003 to 2011, against Bolsonaro in next year’s election.
A poll by Real Time Big Data pollster, published on Wednesday by CNN Brazil, showed Lula and Bolsonaro the support needed to get a second-round vote.
Report by Leonardo Benassatto; Written by Stephen Eisenhammer; Edited by Chizu Nomiyama and Alistair Bell