Brazil: Electoral Body Swears In New President

Luiz Fux has been sworn in as the new president of Brazil's Supreme Electoral Tribunal, TSE. During his induction speech, he emphasized his preparedness to combat "fake news" and strictly adhere to the Clean (Criminal) Record Law during this year's presidential campaign.

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While not naming former Brazilian President Luiz Inacio "Lula" da Silva by name — whose conviction on corruption charges was upheld by the Fourth Regional Federal Court, TRF-4 last month — Fux's reference to the Clean (Criminal) Record Law indicates that he will not permit anyone with a criminal record to run in this year's presidential election.

“The electoral justice (department) will be unwavering in its application of the Clean (Criminal) Record Law,” said Fux. He added that “corrupt, dishonest, unethical individuals are incapable of leading the country to the future. They lead it to retardation and degradation.”

Fux also promised zero tolerance for "fake news," saying that such a scourge promoted by media outlets will be combatted without “hindering freedom of expression to (presidential) candidates.”

Even after three judges from the TRF-4, unanimously upheld Lula's 2017 corruption conviction — a case many observers deem lawfare at its finest — Lula continues to top this year's presidential poll.

The survey, which was undertaken by Datafolha and published in the Folha de Sao Paulo newspaper, revealed that if Lula is allowed to run, he would receive 34 percent of the first-round vote. His closest opponent is right-wing presidential hopeful Jair Bolsonaro, who would receive 16 percent of votes. Coming in at third place is the environmentalist and two-time presidential candidate, Marina Silva, registering eight percent of votes.

In fact, over the past several months, Lula, who left office with a record 83 percent approval rate, has led presidential polls undertaken by Vox Populi, Datafolha, Data Poder 360, Instituto Parana, the National Confederation of Transportation/MDA and Ipsos.

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Having experienced drought, famine, plagues and abject poverty during his childhood in Brazil's northeastern state of Pernambuco, Lula would never forget his less than humble beginnings, nor working as a shoeshine boy in 1953, when the people of Brazil elected him president in 2003.

He'd go on to introduce a slew of social programs to mark his two terms in office, lifting millions of Brazilians out of poverty and removing the country from the United Nations World Hunger Map. When the World Food Program hailed the country as a champion in the fight against hunger, former Social Development Minister Tereza Campello said, “leaving the Hunger Map is a historic milestone for Brazil."

Lula also made significant improvements in housing and education, which stand in contrast to those who governed the country in the past.

Following the judicial ruling to uphold his conviction, the former head of state said that he doesn't want people to be “concerned” about him, but to be “concerned with the 210 million Brazilians, above all the workers,” according to Brasil 24/7. He added that “they can detain Lula, but they cannot detain a dream of liberty, they cannot detain ideas, they cannot detain hope.”