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The sacred monsters of Brazilian music Gilberto Gil and Chico Buarque were to perform Saturday in Rio de Janeiro at the "Lula Libre" festival, organized to demand the release of the ex-Brazilian president imprisoned since April for corruption and a favorite of voting intentions for the October presidential election.
More than 5,000 people of all ages – some wearing paper masks bearing the image of Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva – gathered around 2 pm in the city center, to listen to the performances of about forty artists mobilized to support the leader of the Brazilian left.
"It is often said that Lula only attracts poor people, the beneficiaries" of caregivers, "but today we see that Brazil's intellectuals support his freedom because he was convicted without evidence, "said Silvia Costa, a 51-year-old civil servant.
"There is no leader like Lula in all Brazil, he is the only one who can run the country," said Inmaculada Santos, a 50-year-old merchant.
The famous singer samba Beth Carvalho was also to participate in the festival, before the highly anticipated show of Chico Buarque and Gilberto Gil, in the night.
The two artists have not performed together on stage since 1973, during the time of the military dictatorship ( 1964-1985).
Gilberto Gil was Minister of Culture of President Lula for five years, from 2003 to 2008.
Even though "free Lula!" were heard throughout the day, not all spectators came for the former president, in power from 2003 to 2010.
"Me, sincerely, I come for the artists, because I like Chico Gil, I'm not very close to Lula's cause, "admits Gabriel Nascimento, a 19-year-old history student.
Lula is serving 12 years and one month in prison in Curitiba (south) for corruption and money-laundering, accused of having received a seaside apartment from a building company in exchange for favors for the award of public contracts.
Involved in five other judicial proceedings, the former president denies fiercely and claims to be a victim of a plot to prevent him from running for the October election.
The former president is leading the voting intentions for this presidential election, even if his candidacy is likely to be invalidated soon by electoral justice.
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