It is with joy that we followed live images of the release of Brazil’s former President Lula da Silva from incarceration.

Lula’s imprisonment since April 2018 was the result of an unfair political process, part of an institutional coup that led to President Dilma Rousseff’s impeachment, to prevent him from running in the presidential elections.

Lula’s freedom represents a blow against the undemocratic, authoritarian and far right forces, supported by the US, that have enforced a de facto coup d’etat in Brazil and have imposed severe regressive policies in the social, labour and democratic rights of the Brazilian people.

This positive development is a strong incentive to all progressive and democratic forces in Brazil who have stood firm in the defence of the rights of the people, as well as freedom and democracy, working to bring Brazil back, once more, to the path of progress and social justice.

GUE/NGL welcomes this victory for Lula da Silva and for all democratic forces in Brazil. A victory that calls for the strengthening of the struggle for justice and end to political persecution of the former Brazilian president.