The Building and Wood Workers´ International (BWI) demands respect the State of Law and joins to the voices of protest throughout the world in solidarity with the ex-President Lula da Silva.
On Friday, March 4th, 2016, the ex-President of the Federative Republic of Brazil Lula da Silva was coercively taken from his home in the industrial city of Sao Bernardo do Campo at early hours of the morning, to meet with police authorities of his country, who were waiting for him at the facilities of the domestic airport Sao Paulo megalopolis.
The ex-president is not being officially investigated and there are no judicial proceedings against him at any instance of the Brazilian Justice. In the past, the former trade unionist has never refused to attend any court appointment when formally invited as a witness or to provide simple explanations relating to investigations that lead judicial authorities throughout the country.
This coercive transfer of Lula is an explicit violation of his civil rights and an unnecessary violence by the Brazilian Justice, which exposes, above all, the absence of political respect to a popular and global leader. During his Presidency, his government reduced the Brazilian debt, brought 30 million people out of poverty, sharply decline child labour, and empowered women through social programs, entitled them with deeds to their homes, and control of a minimum monthly support (Bolsa Familia). In addition, unemployment fell to levels around 7%; the actual increase (discounting inflation) the national minimum wage reached 76.5% in ten years; and the gains of the poorest Brazilians grew by 90% in ten years.
There is no due process against the former president. Still, the Brazilian monopoly of the conservative press controlled only by six families, floods every day the homes of people with strong accusatory media campaign against Lula, his family and his political party. The aim seems to be the moral and political destruction of Lula, and consequently, of the still young Brazilian democracy.
Geneva, March 7th, 2016