Brasilia, July 16 (RHC)-- Former Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has taken to his Twitter account to speak to the people of Brazil about the denial of his habeas corpus last week, which would have allowed him to walk free from prison. 

“The fear surrounding my possible release is due to the fact that they know that they detained me based on lies,” he said, referring to judge Sergio Moro and prosecutors who argued his guilt, as well as ruled and sentenced the former head of state on corruption and money laundering charges.  Lula said: “Their guilty conscious, stemming from their frame-ups, makes them nervous.” 

Lula went on to tweet that he doesn't harbor hate (towards his persecutors) but sympathy for the situation in which this group has placed Brazil, “to sell our riches, and indignation for the suffering of the Brazilian people.”  He said it becomes more difficult, with each passing day, for people “to find work and pay their bills... The fear exhibited by the rich is not against me” – Lula said – “but for them to accept the choice of the Brazilian people in free elections.  The Brazilian people must recuperate their democratic liberty!” 

Earlier, Lula was visited in prison by his former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Celso Amorim, and former Chief Minister of the Social Communication Secretariat Franklin Martins.  He told them that his judicial persecutors not only want him detained, but silenced, in respect to Judge Carolina Lebbos, who prohibited him from giving interviews from prison.  He also affirmed that he would not exchange his dignity for freedom. 

Lula has been detained at the federal police headquarters in Curitiba since April 7th.  Despite his imprisonment, an event that many legal experts and observers attribute to lawfare and a salacious mainstream media campaign, he has topped every 2018 electoral poll conducted by Vox Populi, Ibope, Datafolha, Data Poder 360, Instituto Parana, the National Confederation of Transportation/MDA and Ipsos. 

The latest Ipespe survey, taken between July 9 and 11, indicates that Lula continues leading the pack of presidential hopefuls in the first round of voting at 30 per cent.  It also showed him prevailing against his nearest rival, far right-wing congressman Jair Bolsonaro, in the second round of voting at 40 per cent to 33 per cent. 

Lula's two terms in office were marked by a slew of social programs, lifting millions of Brazilians out of poverty and removing the country from the United Nations World Hunger Map.  He left office with a record approval rating of 83 percent in 2011, according to Datafolha.