Under the watchful eyes of a strong police presence, hundreds marched through the city’s central municipality of Jesús María.

Demonstrators demanded the release of former Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva; an end to political persecution of progressive leaders in Latin America and the Caribbean; the removal of foreign military bases in Peru; and no more intervention in the domestic affairs of Venezuela, in particular.

Gerónimo López, national secretary of the Peruvian General Federation of Workers, told the Cuban press that the march was held to denounce the United States’ hostile policies toward Latin America, despite U.S. President Donald Trump’s absence.

Peruvian journalist Carlos Rombambil commented, “Social movements are awake and ready to do what is necessary to show we are not in favor of intervention.”

In the meantime, presidents and heads of state continued to arrive for the Summit, to be inaugurated this afternoon.

(Granma)

The founder of the Workers Party (PT according to its Portuguese acronym) is being held since Saturday at the headquarters of the Federal Police of Curitiba by order of trial judge Sergio Moro, after a court sentenced him to 12 years and one month in prison for alleged corruption, without presenting evidence, or any witness capable of incriminating him.

‘Lula is a political prisoner, he is innocent and has a clear conscience,’ PT President Gleisi Hoffman said, and insisted that the former President continues to be the candidate of that organization for the October elections.

Members of communist parties from seven South American countries, participating in the People’s Summit in Peru, showed their solidarity with the former President and demanded his release.

‘He’s heard, he’s felt, Lula is present,’ the participants chanted in the forum, which is held in parallel to the Summit of the Americas.

In Uruguay, workers, students, retirees, cooperative members and members of social organizations called a rally in front of the Brazilian embassy in Montevideo in solidarity with the former President.

‘For a Brazil without political prisoners’ is one of the slogans of the mobilization, according to the call of the Central Unica dos Trabalhadores (CUT).

In Brazil, events are scheduled in 13 state capitals and six municipalities to demand the release of Lula.

In addition, the Brazilian International Front Against the Coup foresees mobilizations in at least eight European cities, which would be added to those already carried out in New York, Paris, Buenos Aires, Berlin, Santiago de Chile, Washington, Bogota, Oslo, London, Mexico City and Barcelona.

During a visit to Murcia (Spain), former Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa condemned the imprisonment of the PT leader.

‘What they are doing to Lula da Silva, if it had happened in Venezuela, that country would already be invaded, but as they are doing it to Lula nothing happens,’ Correa denounced.

(Prensa Latina)

The Federal Republic of Brazil’s Federal Supreme Court rejected the habeas corpus appeal presented by the defense team of the country’s former President and leader of the Workers Party, Luiz Inacio Lula Da Silva.

As has just been confirmed, this decision opens the door to Lula’s possible immediate detention, an act that would be extremely serious.

The decision is a new expression of the ongoing, unjust campaign against Lula, against the Workers Party, and progressive, left forces in Brazil.

Polls indicate that Lula is the overwhelming favorite in upcoming Presidential elections. Photo: TELESUR
Lula continues to enjoy broad popular support, international recognition and affection, as a result of the successes of his administration that benefited the vast majority, who are now facing an attempt to deny them the right to elect him again as President, to open the way for neoliberal forces and reverse his accomplishments.

Once again, we express our solidarity and support of compañero Lula.