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11 June 2021

"Lawfare: Waging War through" Law Book Launch with Special Guest Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, 35th President of Brazil

The Department of International Development will be hosting the 35th President of Brazil, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, as a special guest for the book launch of ‘Lawfare: Waging War Through Law’ by Cristiano Zanin, Valeska Martins and Rafael Valim.

Lawfare Event Image

“Lawfare: Waging War Through Law” explores in detail one of the best-known cases of lawfare today: that against Lula da Silva. Speakers will discuss the concept of lawfare, and examine the details of the lawfare case against the former president.

Previously convicted on corruption charges, Lula da Silva’s conviction was recently overturned and his political rights, including the right to stand in an election, returned. The Supreme Court further ruled that the judge who had convicted him had acted unfairly, with evidence that he violated the rules of conduct for judges in Brazil.

The former president, along with many of his supporters, feels that the law was used against him in an unconstitutional manner with politically driven motive. The Supreme Court ruled in 2018 that he would not be able to appear on the electoral ballot as a result of the corruption conviction.

While Lula Da Silva has not confirmed his intention to run as a candidate in the 2022 election, he has heavily implied that he will stand as a candidate.

nce our party has its candidate and we’re in campaign mode, I want to travel around Brazil, to visit every state, to hold debates, to talk to the people, to visit the favelas, to the recyclers, to LGBT people … I want to talk to Brazilian society so I can tell them: ‘It is possible for us to build a new country … It’s possible to make this country happy again.

Lula da Silva, via the Guardian