Lula's Absence Is Evident at TV Debate among Presidential Candidate

Brasilia_ The absence of the absolute leader in all surveys on vote intention, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, will undoubtedly be evident today at the first TV debate among presidential candidates in Brazil, Prensa Latina reports.

Although the Workers' Party (PT) appealed on Wednesday to the Regional Federal Court of the Fourth Region (TRF-4), which sentenced Lula to 12 years and one month in prison, so that he could participate in the debate, the Court had not issued a ruling yet.

Last Monday, Judge Bianca Arenhart claimed procedural issues to reject a request in that regard and directed the recourse to TRF4 President Carlos Eduardo Thompson Flores, who interfered to annul a judicial order to guarantee the immediate release of the former president in July.

Yesterday's appeal against judge's decision underlines that the 'unjust, illegal and unconstitutional provisional execution of the sentence' on former President Lula by that court cannot deprive him of his political rights or his freedom of expression and communication.

It also demanded that the former president's participation in the debate be guaranteed, either in person or on a video conference or on videos previously recorded at the Superintendence of the Federal Police of Curitiba, where he has been a political prisoner since April 7.

Of the 13 presidential candidates who will appear in the ballots next October, only eight will take part in the confrontation, since in addition to Lula other four will be absent due to the fact that they do not have seats of at least five legislators.

Thus, only the right-wing candidate Jair Bolsonaro (Social Liberal Party), the environmentalist Marina Silva (Red), the former governor of Sao Paulo and coup candidate Geraldo Alckmin (Party of the Brazilian Social Democracy) and Ciro Gomes, of the Democratic Party Labor will concur

Also the Finance Minister Henrique Meirelles (of the ruling Brazilian Democratic Movement); Guilherme Boulos, from the Socialism and Freedom Party, Álvaro Dias (Podemos) and the right-wing Cabo Daciolo (Patriota).