The conviction against Lula da Silva
Milei's references relate to the judicial case that involved Lula in the Lava Jato Operation, the largest anti-corruption investigation in Brazil. The leftist leader was convicted twice for corruption and money laundering, in 2017 and 2019, and remained in prison for 580 days between 2018 and 2019.
However, in March 2021, the judge of the Supreme Federal Court Edson Fachin annulled the convictions for strictly procedural reasons, considering that the Curitiba court lacked jurisdiction to judge the cases.
The decision was subsequently upheld by the Brazilian Supreme Court, which determined that the cases should be processed in another jurisdiction. The annulment, in this context, did not imply a ruling on innocence, but rather on the competence of the court that had issued the sentences.
Later, the highest court also advanced on the validity of the evidence collected during the investigation, considering that it had not been obtained legally, which ultimately dismantled the cases.
