amy: from pacifica, this is democracy now!. accusers awaiting the who the accusers to show at least some piece of evidence that indicatatatatatatatatatata any crime during the period hat i was in the presidency. now, what is behind that is the

popoliticapaparty. amy: in an exclusive, former brazilian president for the hour, the leader president barack obama once called the most popular politician on earth is now running again for president of brazil. he's the current front-runner, but he may soon be heading to jail instead on what trumped up charges. this comes just two years after lulala's close ally, brazilian president, his successor, was impeached in what many does the future of democracy at stake in brazil? we'll talk with him about his case, plus today's 15th anniversary of the u.s. invasion of iraq, and latin america, and last week's assassination of rio de janeiro's city councilmember

and human rights activist ma ri elle franco. >> it's clear that her death wawas a premeditated killing. now, i don't know if it was a militia or a plea, but what is clear is it is unacceptable. amy: former brazilian president silva, popularly known as lula, for the hour, all that and more cocoming up. democracynow.org, the war and peace report. i'm amy goodman. in a startling revelation about the 2016 u.s. election, it's been revealed that a voter the ling company named data of more than million facebook users without their permission in efforts to sway voters to trump. cam bridge an lita was founded by billiaiai r robert mercer,

trump's former adviser steve ban nonwas one of the key strategists. the facebook data was first obtained by a cambridge university academic named alexander coge an, whose cocococococococococococococococ paid facebook users to take a personality test and agree to have heir data collected. . the app also collect the data of users' friends, meaning it actually collected o o o o o o without their knowledge. ththe company then bouought thi data in order to turn voter profiling company into a powerful psychological tool, which beganncncnching targeted political adss aimed at carryin out robert mercer's far-right political agenda. this is whistle blower christopher wylie, who worked with a alexander kogan to obtai the datata from f febook.k.k.k.. it was groross unethicic periment, because y are playing w with entir cntry. the pshologyf an e ente

untrtry witho their csent or awaneness andnd n only are w psychologyf an entire natn,n, you're playing with e e ychology oan ente nation in the contetext of ththe democratic process. amy: the london observer, the guardian, and the "new york times" also helped break thee e data breach and its role in the 2016 election has caused wide spread backlash from both u.s. and british lawmakers who are now calling on facebook's crew crew, mark zuckerberg, to testify. this firestorm comes after facebook has already faced massive backlash over how the platatrm was used to spread russian propaganda ahead of the election. president trump attacks special counsel robert mueller for the first time by name on twitter over the weekend. on saturday, he wrote, "the mueller probe should never have been started in that there was no collusion and there was no crime." on sunday, trump tweeted, "why mueller team have 13 hardened democrats, some big

crooked hillary supporters and zero republicans? another dem recented added, does anyone think this is fair, and yet there is no collusion." mumumumumumu long-time republican and a former f.b.i. director who was appointed by republican president george w. bush. trump's first attacks on mueller came only one day after deputy f.b.i.irirector andrew mccabe was fired late friday. trump had repeatedly attacked mccabe, who was fired after attorney general jeff sessions rejected an appeal that would have let him retire this weekend, received his full pens mccabe was fired for "lack of candor" about a conversation he authorized between a journalist and f.b.i. officials. mccabe denies these allegations and aimed to discredit robert mueller's investigation in which he's a potential witness. he also says he took extensive notes about his conversations with president trump.

a slew of democratic lawmakers have offered to hire mccabe for two days in order to allow him to be eligible to receive his full pension. he was fired 48 hours before he was to actually retire and be . in syria, turkish soldiers and turkish-backed syrian fighters seized control of the syrian kurdish city of afrin sunday after a two-month turkish assault on afrin. the takeover expands turkey's territorial control in northern syria and deals a blow to kurdish efforts to achieve autonomy. activists say hundreds of civilians have been killed in the offensive, which has also forced thousands to flee. on sunununununun andeftist groups in turkey demanded the international community pressure turkey to withdraw from afrin. this is turkish lawmaker. >> we nation t t e european council, the european parliament, international coalition forces,

islamic countries, and the international community as a whole to take steps to immediately avert the tragedy in afterererererererererererere of all armed forces who entered afrin. nicole: more news from syria, war monitors r report at least people w were killed on saturur a midst t the ongoing bombing a ground eastern ghouta outside the capital, damascus. thousands of civilians have been fleeing the assault on the suburb which was contrololled b rerel groups. . on s sunday, syrian state tv broadcast video of syrian b bas troops on the front lines in eastern ghouta. in russia, president vladimir putin has won another six-year term. official results show he won 76% of the vote. his main challenger, an opposition leader, was barred from running after the results were announced putin was questioned by reporters about whether he'd run again six years from now. >> i believe that what you're

saying is a little funny. let's count. will i be sitting here in power until i'm 100 years old? no, no. amy: officials from n north korea, south korea, and the united s states s are slated to meet in finland this week to talk about reducing the thrhrhr it's not yet announced who will be attending the meeting, but finnish officials say the u.s. representatives are nongovernment officials. in afghanistan, at least eight civilians were killed before dawn saturday morning when elite members of the u.s.-backed afghan intelligence agency opened fire from a helicopter on farmers irrigating t the fields s below. one e of the victims' brothers says they were killed still holding their shovels. the youngest victim was 14s s s. one local politician told the "new york times" these types of raids are usually carried out with the assistance of u.s.-led nato coalition. in kashmir, at leaeast five members s of the same family we killed sunday and pakistan bototh fired across th linene of controlol that divide this disputed territory. the victims were a couple and

their three children gathering for breakfast when a mortar shell hit their home. the youngest victim was 8 years old. kashmiri photo journalist named kamran yusuf has been release from the jail after charges of waminging wear on india. he was the first journalist to be arrested and held bynvnvnvnv which was formed in 2009 to fight terrorism. in texas, two people were injured sunday night when a package exploded in southwest austin. it's the fourth package explosionththththththththththth the explosions have killed two members of prominent african-american families and seriously injured a third latina woman. authorities say the bombings may be hate crimes sunday's explosion is likely linked to the first three. in texas, a 23-year-old sal van doran asylum seeker named laura monterrosa has been relelelelel

facility after a national campaign to win her freedom. monterrosa says she was sexually assaulted by a guard while in detention and was then placed in solitary confinement elle salvador to speaking up. escape sexual persecution has a lesbian and has been detained for nine months. and computer hacker adrian lamo has died at the age of 37. of major nown for hacking the corporations, including the "new york times," yahoo!, and microsoft. and for reporting u.s. army whistle blower chelsea manning to authorities after the two became friends online. lamo's b b b b b b b b b b b an apartment on wednesday in wichita, kansas. the cause of his death unknown. and those are some of the headlines. this is democracy now!,.org.org, the war and peace report. i'm amy goodman.brazilians cont the loss of 38-year-old rio de janeiro city councilmember and human rights activist, marielle

franco. franco was assassinated along with her driver last wednesday night after a pair of gunmen riddleled her car with bulullet she returnened from an event on ththe topic of empowering black women. franco, who is a a block lesbia was known for her fierce criticicism of p police killing neighborhoods. the night before her death, franco wrorote on twtwitter, ho many morore must die for this w to end? in january alonene, government fifiguressssssssssssss 15454 people in rio state. franco's death comes at a pivotal moment for brazil and the future of democracy in south america's largest country. just last month, president michelle ordered brazil's military to assume control of police duties in rio. two years ago, the brazilian president was impeached by the brazilian senate in a move she elections s a coup. later this year.

the front-runner is former brazilian president luis inacio lula do si have a, commonly known as lula. while he's leading he's facing prison sentence after being convicted on what many believe to be trumped up charges of corruption and money laundering. last year, president yusuf saia my impeachment, but there's a second chapter, and that is stopping president lula from becoming a candidate for next year's election." "extraordinarily aggggressive measures are being taken to put lula in jail by the judiciary, by the media, by the great people of f f f f f f f f f f f azil." lula is a former union leader who served as president of brazil from 2003 to 2010. during that time, he helped

lift tens of millions yalensns outf thee poverty. president barack obama once called him the most popular politician on earth. late friday, i had a chance to speak wiwith lula. he was in brazil. i began n by asking him assassination of rio city councilman marielle franco. >> amy, we have two problems in brazil. he first is that her assassination is unacceptable. the assassination of a young that he e only thing did was to work against the assassinations of black persons and the ripheral areas dense of lives of people.

it's clear that her death was a premeditated killing. i don't know if it was a militia or police, b but what t cleaear is i it is unacceptable that all of us brazililians should comee together in a single voice and shout outddddd o immediately demand punishment of those responsnsib for thatat killing.enenenenenen learned a eat lesson from this killing, which is that the problem of violence in the peripheral areas of our brazil is not going to be resolved by turning to the armed it is necessary that the state have a presence in the peripheral neighborhoods of azil with jobs, education, healthcare, cultural activities

. employment and salaries so that people can survive and live with dignity. the armed forces were not trained to deal with common crime in brazil. they were trained to defend our ountry from. in other words, when people understand that violence in brazil is very pr quality of life that people are subjected to. the conditions for people living in peripheral areas, then violence in the peripheral areas, especially against children, young people, and black people in our country.

the case of marielle isasasasas -- is an emblamitic case because it requires all those who love life, all those who love freedom, all ofhohohose wh struggle for human rights, all should protest loudly so that the assassins of marielle are put in prison and are given exemplary punishmhmhmhmhm hat we a want. amy: on twitter, there was a tweet the lot of nine millimeter ammo used in the execution of mariellelelelelelee and anderson pedro was purchased by the federal police and matches casings found at the scene of the massacre that killed 19 in sao paolo in 2015. two cops and one municipal

guard were convicted. glenn greenwald of the intercept then tweeted, to the surprise of absolutely nobody, the preliminary evidence is eseseseseseseseses between the police and the assassins who killed marielle franco. nothing is conclusive yet at all in this regard, but the preliminary evidence is pointing straight in t direction. do you agree with this, president lula? and what do you think needs to be done immediately right now as thousands of people have taken to the streets? >> look, the first thing is if it is true that the weapon that killed marielle was a weapon purchased by and it was already used in another massacre near sao paolo two years ago, then we would

have very strong indication. we must know whether at some point in time during that period between the massacre in sao paolo and the killing of marielle whether the federal police denounce that any weapons had been or munitions had been stolen from the ederal police. or if there was a robbery and the munitions or weapons were purchased by the federal police, it's necessary that the federal police explain to brazilian society why is it that those weapons were in the hands of the assassinated? so if there needs to be clarification wiwith this evidence, if the weapons were stolen and they d do not denoun itcausee they were ashamed weapons hahad been stolen from

the federal police, well, in very ase, amy, it's important that people e be carefuful to make sure they'r'r not making untrue accusations or accusations looking for a headline. now, what is true is that for the police, for the armed forces, for the government, the police intelligence, it should be able to in the shortest time possible, they should figure out who the assassins were and then punish those assassins. amy: forormer brazilian preside silva is a running again for president but may soon be heading to jail. we'll continue our interview with lulula i in a minute and a him about the charges against him, which his supporterseeeeee talk with him about u.s. intervention in latin america, about this 15th anniversary of the invasion of iraq and much morere. stay w with us.

♪ amy: the t t t t t t t t t t t singer. this is democracy now!, democracynow.org, the war and peace report, as we continue our exclusive, a conversation with brazil's f f f f f f f f f luiz inacio lula da silva, popularly known as lula. the highly popular former union

leader is running for president in this year's election, but is facing a possible prison term on what many believe to be trpepeupup corruption charges tied to a sprawling probe known as operation car wash. lula was convicted off acceptin a beachside apartment from an engineering firm vying for contracts at the state oil company, but many of hisppppppp politically motivated. the intercept recently report the indictment against lula is rife with problems, the apartment's title was never transferred to lula or his associates. he and his wife never used the property. the prosecutionidentify an expl quo or benefit related to the company. no official or internal was produced and the case rests entirely on the testimony of the executive whoininininininin sentencing leniency for his cooperation. during the interview on friday, president lula responded to the charges and conviction against him.

>> i w not accused of corruption. was accused because of a lie. in a pololololololololololololo lie and an indictment by the office of the attorney general, and in the judgment of judge morrow. because there's only one evidence of my innocence in my counsel explained.ch the accusers to show show at least some piece of evidence that indicates that i committed any crime during the period that i was in the presidency.

now, what is behind that? is the attempt to criminalize p what is behind that is the interest in a part of the political arena in brazil, together with a part of the ress, reinforced by the role of the judiciary in preventing lula from becoming a candidate n the 2018 election. and i continue challenging the federal police, the office of the attorney general. i continue challenging judge morrow and the appellate court to show the world and to show brazil a single piece of evidence of a crime committed by me.

the behavior of the judiciary in this instance is a political form of behavior. amy: mr. president, last year, the ousted presidentfirst chapt my impeachment, but there's a second chapter, and that's stopping president lula from becoming a candidate for next year's elections.that this is t of the coup, if your conviction is upheld, you will be prevented from running in the october electioioioioioioioioioo >> amy, the workers party in 12 years in the government, at the helm of the government in to do many things that had never been done at any time in the 20th century.

in this country in 12 years, we brought 40 millllion people spe he middle class. e drererererererererererererere while europe was sheddingmillio date, we created 20 million jobs in the formal sector in this country. brazilian s, all workers were able to overcome inflation.tetetetetetetetetetet

economic growth in the history of brazil. it was the most distribibution incocome inn the h historyry of razil, to give you an idea, ine began to use the banking system who had never walked into a ank. and when they got rid of dilma, they did want lula to come back because they knknknknknknknknknn retionship bween the brazilian people and president lula is the strongest they've ever had in the entire history of the country, the relationship. more important, t know i am absolutely certain that the best way to ensure

economic recovery in braziziziz of this country. they know that i know how to do that. now that the poor people had , had a salary, were studying, were eaten better, had better housing. when that happens, the economy grows again, and we can become the world and t happiest people in the world. and, amy, that is why i want to be candidate for the presidency of o show that a mechanic who doesn't have a university degree knows better how to take cacacacaca than the brazilian elite who never looked after the welfare of the brazilian people.

amy: president lula, why did you decide to run for president again? >> two things i have still not decide, amy. the ones who are deciding are he brazilian people. look, all of the public opinion polls in brazil month after month, and there are several of them, in all of them i'm in first place. and so i'm beginning to be the candidate who has the lowest negative and the possibility of becoming a candidate and winning on the first round, and this is making my adversary very uncomfortablele. the am sure, amy, supreme court, i will be quitted and that i will be candidate brazizil could once

again b be a pro tailist in in international policy, the economy could grow again, create jobs, andnd improve t th quality of the life of the people. this is something i know how to do very well. amy: if the case does not employ well for you in theeeeee consider stepping aside? >> first of all, amy, i'm very optimistic. very optimistic. now, if that i was not -- i were not able to be a candidate, if my name is and i think lot, that the party would call a convention and discuss what to o.

i am going to require and call for justice to be done in the country. proven, y innocence is then the judge should be removed from his position, because you can't have a judge who's lying in judgment and pronouncing guilty someone who he knows is innocent. he knows that it's not my apartment. he knows that i didn't buy it. he knows that i didn't pay anything. he knows that i never went he knows that i don't have money from petrobas. the thing is that because he appointed himself to the media, in a h h h h h h h h h h h h t position to acquit me because the lies have gone too far. ananananananananananananananana

one who does the first lie continues lying and lying and lying to justify the first lie, and i am going to prove that he has been lying. amy: you raise two issues, presenent lula, the media as prosecutor and the judge as prosecutor. can you talk about both? start with the media. amy, it's important that you come to brazil to see what's happening witith the brazilian press. i was president for eight years. dilma was president for eight years. all the press s, did was to try to destroy my image and her image and the image of my party.

i have more negative subject matter about me televivision news s program o o brazil than all of the presidents in the whole history of brazil. in other words, it's a to massa untruths about lula, about lula's family, and the only weapon that i have is to confront them. and they're irritated, because after they massacred me orefour years, any opinion poll by any polling institute showed that lula was going win the elections in brazil. now, second, the office of the attorney general and the car wash scandal, i i respect very much the

institution. i was a member of the constitutional assemblely and i helped to strengthen the role of the it organized sk force by a prosecutor who went to television to show a power said that the workers party was established to be a criminal organization, and the fact that lula was the most important person in theeae f a criminal organization. and on concluding the indictment, he simply said the following. i don't have evidence. i don't have evidence. i have conviction.

i don't want to be judged by the conviction of the prosecutor. he can keep his convictions to himself. i want whoever is prosecuting me to come the people of brazil what crime i committed. the only thing, amy, that i ally want now is for the merit t of my trial to be judge i want him to discuss it. i want him to read the prosectorial brief and the defense brief, and then make a decision what i really want at this time is that justice be done in this country. amy: the candidate polling second in brazil's elections is a and former soldier.

he's been called the brazilian trump. can you talk about who he is, what he represents, and if you understand there's any communication between him and the u.s. goverernment right now. >> i cannot. against an ad versear. the only thing that i would right to have the run in the elections here, win to recover the right of the brazilian people to live well. i cannot pass judgment on the president of the united states, just as i cannot pass judgm on the president of uruguay, and much less can i pass judgment on my adversaries. amy: but if you can explain what he represents, how you differ from him. member of the

federal congress. he was an army captain in the brazilian army. the information that we have is that he was expelled from the razilian army. his behavior ist wing fascist. he is very much prejudice against women, against blacks, against t t t t t t t t against human rights. he believes that everything can be resolved with violence. so i don't think he has a .uture in brazilian politics. he speaks. he projects a certain image to please part of society that is of the e extreme right, but don't believe that the

brazilian people have an interest in electing someone withth his sort of behavior to servrvrvrvrvrvrvrvrvrv o o o o republic. amy: do you think he was happy with marielle's death? >> i think so, because he's preaching violence every day. he preaches violence. those who defend human rights are doing a disservice to democracy. he thinks that those who defend women's rights are doing a disservice tosesesesesesesesese right of the black community. that against everything is discuss when had one is talking about human rights. amy: we brazilian presidential candidate, luiz inacio lula da silva, in 30 seconds. ♪

amy: we return to our conversation with a former brazilian president, the current presidential candidate, luiz inacio lula da silva. mr. president, i want to ask about you what's happened in honduras, with the organization of american states the election there of the incumbent president hernandez was deeply flawed. with the u.s. ambassador to the united nations, nikki honduras, ambassador there, the u.s. representative there deem

involved in what has taken place with the swarg-in of the presidenthehehehehehehehehehehe your thoughts on what's happened in honduras, the u.s. involvement there, and also the u.s. attitude towards, the u.s. putting certain venezuelan leaders on a list of those banned from entering the united states and taking other punitive measures against resident maduro. >> amy, it's quite visible that interfering in the countries of central america. it's not just today that there's u.s. interference. in many countries of central erica, the u.s. ambassador

behaves as though they were elected by the far right in the ountries of centrtrtrtrtrtrtrtr what i deeply regret is that the united states has not learned to live democratically with the countries of central america and with the countries f amy, in january of 2003, i had been president of the republic for less than one month there was already a conflict underway between the united states and venezuela, and i was in ecuador participating in the auguration of the president chavez. and i proposed the creation of a group of friends of venezuela, so it should be able

to guarantee democracy in venezuela. i told the united states that they should stay in the group, colin powell participated in the group, and i also got spain involved. and i did not participate in n ? beuse spain had been the first country to recognize the coup, and the united states was accused of being involved in the coup.ananananananananananan there, and i think france as ell. and we were able to give venezuela a time of peace to be able to hold elections, and something like that should happen today. s a sacred matter.

the right of the united stas, thededededededededededecici mat united stas.s. that icacalled sovereignty. and is up to vezuela to make the decion within the overeignty i several times did what toiked get president bush to meet with resident chavez when president obama was recently in power, he went to trinidad and tobago, and then weweadad a meeting with him and with chavez trying to create the conditions for the united states to have a more peaceful relationship with venezuela. but it seems to meososososososo

there's a certain irrationality at the u.s. state department that doesn't want to negotiate eace in venezuela. but we need to understand that as central america grows, it's going to prove the economic situation generally. no one democracy at risk anywhere in the world, and that is why i regret that there's not understanding on the part of the united states with respect to venezuela. well known to i.a., u.s. have been involved in the 1964 coup in brazil. do you see enough evidence of that, both in the ouster of presidenttttt dilma rouse you h and also your own case?

do you see any evidence of foreign involvement, articularly with the u.s.? >> well, it took almost 40e years to prove the united d statates did indeed participate in the 1964 coup. defenr of conspiracy theories, i am and, some don't accept brazil playing such a proactive role in foreign policy. nterest in our petrobas, and there is interest in brazil's influence in latin america and n south america.

there are interests that not wanting to necessarily see the and there is the brazilian press always talks about the close relationship between the office of the attorney general in brazil and the department of justice in the united states, around petrobras issues. and we are trying to investigate brazilage legislators go to the u.s. congress. they talk with u.s. congresspersons. and all we want is to be working so that brazil will be

a sovereign country, a how to u tremendous pototential for development to benefefit the peoplele of brazil. i ask myself every day who would be interested in trying to destroy petrobras? who would be interested in destroying brazil's engineering industry? who would be interested in destroying the largest company in protein in the world near brazil? who is interested in fracking in brazil? amy: monday marks the 15th anniversary of the u.s. invasion of iraq. you opposed that invasion. your thoughts today?

with the u.s. continuing its presence in both iraq as well as in afghanistan. >> amy, i amam so sorry that on december 10, 2002, i spoke with president bush at the white house. and i told him that iraq did not have chemical weapons because the head of the international agency was brazilian. the president of the united states and the prime minister of great britain told the world lie, saying thatat there were. and saddam hussein was lying to

the world, pretending that he ad them. when saddam hussein could have saved his country from the u.s. invasion by asking for international presence tos.s.s.. the lie by the u.s. government saying there's chemical weapons sandrkt lie by saddam hussein pretendiding that he had them. well, these have led to the destruction of a country without resolving the problem of terrorism in the world. i think it was a it was a shame and so many years have gone by, and to this day, no one has been able to show anything of chemical apons

it seems to me thahat the only chemical weapons the were,nd then terrorism goes on. amy: president lula, what is your assessment of president onald trump? >> i don't havavavavavavavavavav i think it's very unusual that there's a president of the republic of the most powerful country of the world who overns the country by twitter. find that very interesting. but in any evenent, i have to respect him because he's elected by the people of the united states. people of the united states, his he is going to serve term as he wishes, because the people of the united states gave him the authority to do o.

i cannot be sitting in judgment of how trump governs. he governs in his way, and we'll see thousand goes. amy: your thoughts on president trump calling haiti, and other countries, well, he calls africa a country, s-hole countries? >> i think that if a person behaves that way in discussing relations with sister countries, then i don't't think person would be qualified to he p p p p p p p p p p p p p p. the force countrtries thahat ha no chancnce of growing economically must be treated. amy, let mel tell you one

thing. if the -- let me tell you one thing. if the rich countries, especially the united states who have already spent more to resolve lion the 2008 financial crisis with the bankruptcy of lehman brothers, instead of having used part of that money to help the countries of africa to develop, had they done so, certainly africa would be growing more, creating more jobs, strengthening democracy, and improving the lives of the eople. e first meeting we had of the g-20 in london, there we suggested that the rich countries should make investments in the poor so as to create new

industrialized regions in the world and new consumers in the world. unfortunately, the rich countries have turned to protectionism once again and took a lock time to resolve the crisis of 2008. amy: i wanted to read for you from the press. it says the controversial visit and meeting of two branches of government, the brazilian government, was reported in the brazilian media. in effect, last saturday afternoon, a visit to the head of the federal supreme tribunal at her residence and was not conducted as part of the president's official schedule. i believe they were seen hugging. the visit took place five days after supreme judicial -- the visit took place five days

after the supreme try junal justice allowed police to investigate the p president's financial records. the first time in the history of brazilian republic that an acting president has had his financial records opened by judicial order. this was happening at about the same time that reports ememememe robert mueller, is looking into trump family finances. but i wanted to ask you about this, because it's this supreme court in brazil that will also be determiningng your >> look, first, i think that the president can meet with luc her office of the supreme court or his office in the presidency. but they apparently had a secret meeting.

we , amy, near brazil, need to re-establish the functions of the institutions ere in brazil politics is becoming channeled into the courts and the courts are becoming politicized.and ea go back to normalcy, to judiciary, to the supreme court s a guarantor of the institution, executive branch -- es out and the ledge legislative branch legislates f. we were to have afufufufufuf and harmonious relationship, then we can have brazil go back to normalcy. i too, well things

have happened. judges talking on television every day. there's a process of disrespecting institutions in razil. part of the judiciary is strike. they want a housing allowance of almost 4,600 real, and these 30,000 reals per month, so they don't need a housing allowance. like the brazilian population who have no home. those people need housing ssistance. so i have the conviction, amy,

i am certain that it is possible to re-establish harmony in brazil. i'm certain that it is possible to go back to a climate like we had in 2010, 2009 with everyone living harmoniously, people talking among one another, and everybody living democratically in diversity. amy: president lula, you could be arrested at any point. what will you do? be arrested a moment. is thing about any moment a desire on the part of my adversaries and my enemies. arr someone proves that i have committed a crime. i am certain, amy, as i speak

with you right now, i have perfect peace of mind as compared to who are leveling accusations against me. i have the peace of mind of the innocent. assured that i have the paes of mind of those whoho aree innocent and those who hav who bring accusations against me knowing they are doing so on the basis of a lie, , and therefore, i don't think that they are able to place their head on their pillow at night and sleep with the tranquility that i sleep with every day. amy: even if you continue to say you're judge has -- a court has ruled that you are guilty and face, what, nearly 10 years in jail. so even if you disagree with both the conviction and the appeal beingtaken place. would you resist arrest? would you resist being jailed?

>> no. i'm working based on the hypothesis that there will be justice before having to make such a decision. the only ced, because thing looking for at this time is for them to judge my trial on the merits. the supreme court and appellate court cannot let stand an untruth against the truth. amy: luiz inacio lula da silva, president of brazil from 2003 to 2010. brazil, the sixth most populous country in the world. lule is now running again for president. he is the current front-runner, unless the courts stop him and sendndndndndndndndndndndndndndn

special thanks to charlie roberts. democracy now! is looking for feedback from people who appreciate the closed captioning email your comments to outreach@democracynow.org or mail t