Amid the debates over returning the money for the triplex to OAS, some, with their usual arrogance and hypocrisy, have claimed that President Lula’s conviction was overturned on “procedural grounds.” In the face of this delusion, which can only be explained by a disconnect from reality or by sinister intentions, the truth must be set straight.
The ruling in the triplex case was not overturned over mere procedural technicalities. Sergio Moro was found to be biased in light of strong evidence that, in collusion with the then head of the task force, Deltan Dallagnol, he manipulated the justice system to keep the current President of the Republic out of the 2018 election race.
Messages obtained in Operation Spoofing revealed that the former judge coordinated procedural steps with the head of the Lava Jato task force, gave task force members advance notice of his rulings, suggested witnesses for the prosecution, even interfered in the selection of the prosecutors who would question President Lula, and scolded Dallagnol like a football coach directing his team from the sidelines.
He turned the forced appearances into a spectacle, ordered wiretaps on the defense lawyers, illegally disclosed telephone conversations, and lifted the confidentiality of Palocci’s plea deal just days before the first round of the 2018 presidential election. All of this culminated in his appointment as Minister of Justice, when he left the judiciary to join the government he had helped elect.
In the face of such brazenness, even a law student would understand that these so-called “procedural grounds” actually reveal a legal charade with political and electoral aims. All of this must be made perfectly clear, not least to prevent the justice system from once again being hijacked by anyone’s power projects or personal ambitions. This was not an overturning over mere procedural technicalities.
What happened was a fraud that, to this day, shames the Brazilian judiciary.
Translated from Gilmar Mendes social media.
