Lula despite condemnation candidate for Workers Party

brasilia - The Brazilian former president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who was convicted in appeal, is the presidential candidate of the Labor Party in the coming elections. Party leader and senator Gleisi Hoffmann said Thursday at a meeting with trade unions.

On Wednesday, Lula was found guilty of corruption and money laundering on appeal. Three judges of the federal court unanimously confirmed his previous conviction. They increased the prison sentence from 9.5 years to 12 years and a month. Because the court was unanimous in the verdict, Lula will probably be declared ineligible. In the polls Lula is well ahead of the rest of the candidates.

Lula was president from the beginning of 2003 to 2011 on behalf of the Workers' Party. He would have accepted a bribe of about one million euros from a large construction company.