Two Brazil Presidential Hopefuls: 'We Won't Leave the Streets Until Lula is Free'

Guilherme Boulos, national coordinator of the Homeless Workers' Movement and presidential candidate for the Socialism and Liberty Party, and Manuela D'Avila, Rio Grande do Sul state congresswoman and also a presidential hopeful for the Communist Party of Brazil, have released a joint statement stressing that people will not “leave the streets until” former Brazilian President Luiz Inacio 'Lula' da Silva “is free.”

RELATED: 
Brazil: Lula's Legal Defense Negotiates Terms of His Surrender

The statement begins by saying “The times we live in represent the greatest attack against democracy since the end of the military dictatorship.The parlamentary coup, whcih gave rise to (Michel) Temer, the execution of Marielle Franco and Anderson Gomes and the offensive against Lula, from the (shooting) attack against his caravan to the absurd and illegal decision to arrest him, require unity among the left in defense of democracy and against the rise of fascist violence in the country.”

Though campaigning for different political parties, they stressed that the “current gloomy” nature of politics in Brazilian doesn't “impede our unity,” according to Brasil 24/7.

“The most visible phase of the struggle for democracy in the country is the unrestricted defense of the former president's (Lula) freedom, and, moreover, his right to be a candidate in this year's presidential election. Lula is the greatest social leader in Brazil...This struggle is not only for those who agree with positions espoused by Lula and the PT (Workers' Party).”

Boulos and D'Avila reminded that “Lula is not above the law...Nor is he below it. He was condemned without proof...If we want to fight corruption we must raise the banner of a profound political reform, warding off the influence of public authority over economic power and bringing the people closer to such decision-making.”

The presidential hopefuls concluded that there's an “urgent” need of “democratic unity” in order to undue the “arbitrary imprisonment of Lula, the rise of political intolerance” and to guarantee “free election...Apart from the elections, the future of Brazil is at stake.”

After delivering a rousing, motivational speech on the grounds of the ABC Steelworkers Union headquarters in Sao Bernardo do Campo, Sao Paulo Saturday, Lula was hoisted in the air by hoardes of supportes, seemingly floating from the stage, amid the crowd and back into the building. Shortly after, he would surrender to federal police, adhering to an arrest warrant issued by judge Sergio Moro.

He was flown from Sao Paulo and taken to prison in the city of Curitiba where members of several social movements and other supporters of the former president have set up camp in front of the federal police headquarters where he is detained.