Lesh
Diamond Member
- Dec 21, 2016
- 67,870
- 33,692
- 2,300
In July 2017, Lula was convicted on charges of money laundering and corruption in a controversial trial, and sentenced to nine and a half years in prison. The federal judge of the case, Sergio Moro, later became Minister of Justice and Public Security in Bolsonaro's government.[18] After an unsuccessful appeal, Lula was arrested in April 2018 and spent 580 days in jail.[19][20][21] Lula attempted to run in the 2018 Brazilian presidential election but was disqualified under Brazil's Ficha Limpa law.[22] In November 2019, the Supreme Federal Court ruled that incarcerations with pending appeals were unlawful and Lula was released from prison as a result.[23] In March 2021, Supreme Federal Court Justice Edson Fachin ruled that all of Lula's convictions must be nullified because he was tried by a court that did not have proper jurisdiction over his case.[24] Fachin's ruling, which was confirmed by other Supreme Court Justices in April 2021, restored Lula's political rights.[25] The Supreme Federal Court ruled later in March 2021 that judge Moro, who oversaw his corruption trial, was biased.[26] All of the cases Moro had brought against Lula were annulled by 24 June 2021. Following the court ruling, Lula was legally allowed to run for president again in the 2022 elections, and defeated Bolsonaro in the runoff.[27] He was sworn in on 1 January 2023.[28][29][30]