Lula's testimony not "proof of guilt", says Judge Moro

In a note released Saturday (Mar. 5), Federal Judge Sérgio Moro, responsible for the investigations under Operation Car Wash, deplored the violence erupted Friday (Mar. 4) during former President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva testimony to the Federal Police (PF). Moro said that Lula's bench warrant does not mean "the former president's proof of guilt."

After the press announced that the former president was testifying, assaults were recorded between protesters favorable and opposed to Lula in several locations. Moro said that he deplores “any kind of violence”, not compromising the freedom of expression and protest.

In the note, Sérgio Moro said that he executed Lula's bench warrant issued by the Public Prosecution Office, being careful to "keep up the former president's image during the raid" and aiming to prevent possible riots. "It is a shame that the raids have led to occasional clashes in inflamed political protests, assaulting innocent people," reads another note excerpt.

Also according to the note, the measures had the sole aim to "reveal the truth and do not mean the former president's proof of guilt."

After the testimony to the Federal Police, in an interview at the Workers' Party (PT) headquarters in São Paulo, Lula criticized the bench warrant and said he had never refused to testify to the federal police. "It was not necessary to serve a bench warrant in my house, in my children's house. Unfortunately they preferred to display the conceit, the arrogance, the fireworks show. It is a shame that a part of the judiciary system is working alongside the press," said the former president.

Translated by Amarílis Anchieta