[ad_1]
Author's right of the image
Reuters
Lula had a huge lead over all the other candidates
Former Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has withdrawn from the presidential election next month, allowing his running mate to take his place.
Workers' Party leader Gleisi Hoffman announced the decision in front of the police headquarters, where the 72-year-old detainee is serving a 12-year sentence.
The Brazilian Electoral Court banned Lula's candidacy less than two weeks ago because of his conviction for corruption.
This decision comes just days after a far right candidate was stabbed at a rally.
Jair Bolsonaro, 63, is now undergoing major surgery after being attacked by a single assailant, the doctors said.
What happened?
A letter written by Lula in his prison cell was read to supporters who had been outside the prison for five months to demand his release.
Author's right of the image
AFP
Lula's supporters were camped in front of the police headquarters where he is imprisoned
In this document, the former president, who ruled from January 2003 to December 2010, said he would not run for elections scheduled for Oct. 7.
He also named Mr. Haddad as a man to enter the breach.
Why did he finally give up?
The ruling comes after a long legal battle that culminated on Aug. 31, when the TSE ruled that he was "ineligible" to run for president.
Lula's legal team and the Workers' Party have appealed the decision and the Supreme Court has yet to decide.
Until Monday night, the strategy of the Workers Party was to keep Lula's name on the ticket as long as possible.
Lula left his post with record approval ratings and, although he was jailed, nearly 40% of people surveyed by the Datafolha polling company said they would vote for him.
Fernando Haddad, meanwhile, is a former minister of education, little known outside São Paulo, where he was mayor.
Lula's legal team has asked the Supreme Court to extend the deadline for the registration of presidential candidates from Tuesday 17 to Monday 17 September to buy more time.
Typical of the drama that characterized the election campaign, Lula and her party decided to change their minds after the Supreme Court rejected their request for an extension of time.
Why was Lula barred?
Lula was prevented from running for president under a 2010 law dubbed "Clean Slate". It prohibits those who have a criminal conviction that has been upheld on appeal from standing for office.
In July 2017, Lula was found guilty of accepting an upgrade to a beachfront apartment as a bribe from an engineering firm involved in a large project. of corruption.
Lula has always denied any wrongdoing and is appealing the verdict.
Author's right of the image
Reuters
Lula was expelled after being found guilty of bribery and money laundering
In January, a court of appeals upheld the conviction and sentenced him to nine years and a half.
Lula and his legal team tried to argue that he had to stay in jail while other appeals were ongoing.
But in April, he had 24 hours to surrender. After a two-day clash, he went to the police and was taken to the federal police headquarters in Curitiba, where he has been detained ever since.
Why did he stay so popular?
During his tenure from January 2003 to December 2010, Brazil had its longest period of economic growth in three decades, allowing its administration to spend lavishly on social programs.
Tens of millions of people have been lifted out of poverty thanks to the initiatives of his government and many of them remain loyal supporters.
Many poor Brazilians could also relate to Lula in a way that they could not have with other Brazilian politicians.
Author's right of the image
Reuters
When Lula went to the police, he had to cross a sea of partisans
Born in 1945 to a poor family in northeastern Brazil, his family moved to São Paulo to find work at the age of seven.
He did not learn to read before the age of 10 and started working in a 14 year old car factory.
A charismatic leader, he soon became president of the metalworkers 'union and later founded the workers' party.
He has served two consecutive terms as President of Brazil before helping his protégé Dilma Rousseff to be elected.
Who will take back his coat?
The Workers' Party has chosen Fernando Haddad to replace Lula as a candidate for the presidency. Mr. Haddad was the minister of education during Lula's presidency and it is believed that he enjoys his trust. He was the vice president of Lula until now.
Author's right of the image
Reuters
Fernando Haddad has not performed well in the polls until now
From 2013 to 2017, the 55-year-old graduate in economics and philosophy was also mayor of São Paulo, Brazil's most populous city. He faced mass protests against the price of buses while he was mayor.
Mr. Haddad, who has Lebanese roots, is not well known outside of São Paulo and has so far not done well in the polls.
Only 9% of respondents in a Datafolha survey said they would vote for him. But the Workers Party hopes that people who intend to vote for Lula will transfer their votes to Mr. Haddad.
The party hopes that the boost it should receive will be enough to carry out the second round scheduled for October 28.
But Mr. Haddad is confronted with his own legal problems. Prosecutors allege that during his campaign for the mayor, his team received a loan from a construction company that was to benefit from contracts once elected. He denied any wrongdoing.
