Zé Dirceu hugs Lula during the PT’s birthday event this Monday (13).| Photo: Playback/YouTube PT.

President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) thanked this Monday (13) for the support of former Minister José Dirceu. Lula spoke during the 43rd anniversary event of the Workers’ Party held in Brasilia. Dirceu circulated before the start of the event and spoke with parliamentarians from the party such as Senator Humberto Costa.

He sat in the row of chairs at the back of the stage. The former minister does not usually appear at major party events since he was convicted in the monthly allowance trial in 2013.

“I want to thank each and every one of you, women and men. Comrade Zé Dirceu, [quero] thank you, because I know how supportive you were of what I went through”, said Lula, turning towards where Dirceu was on stage. After speaking, the former minister and the president shook hands. Dirceu accompanied Lula’s inauguration in Brasília, but together with the militancy.

Lula also criticized former President Jair Bolsonaro (PL), whom he called “genocidal”. The chief executive said that Bolsonaro “will have to be judged by the number of people who have died innocently in this country”. “We’re going to fight for our party, we’re going to fight for the Brazilian people, so that a genocide never wins elections based on the lie industry,” said the president.