8 August 2019
Former president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva was sentenced on Tuesday, August 6th, to 12 years and 11 months in prison in the Atibaia site case, investigated by Operation Lava Jato. This is the second corruption case against him.
The sentence was handed down by federal judge Gabriela Hardt, who assumed the district court bench in Curitiba after judge Sérgio Moro became Minister of Justice.
According to Veja magazine, Lula was found guilty of corruption and money laundering crimes. The indictment alleged contractors Odebrecht, OAS, and Schain paid R$1 million in bribes to the former president through the construction of the property owned by businessman Fernando Bittar, which was being used by Lula and his family.
This conviction is Lula’s second under Lava Jato. He was already serving a twelve-year and one-month prison term since April last year, in the Guarujá Triplex case.
Citing leaked documents, the Intercept website said that ‘operation car wash judge’ Sergio Moro collaborated with prosecutors to convict Lula to prevent him from contesting the 2018 presidential election which he was widely expected to win. The objective was to install Jair Bolsonaro as the President which was supported by the United States as well.
Intercept journalist Glenn Greenwald has been threatened to be deported, imprisoned, and even killed by the Bolsonaro government for his role in the leaks.
For his role in thwarting Lula from becoming the president, Judge Sérgio Moro was rewarded with the post of Justice Minister with more powers than those held by previous justice ministers.
Judge Gabriela Hardt verdict comes after the Intercept leaks. This means that the court found that Lula was corrupt despite the Intercept leaks.
