Lula: "La provocación es tan grande que quiero ser candidato"

"Esto es una venganza por ayudar a la gente", afirmó el expresidente en relación a la condena de 12 años.

Former Brazilian president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva (C) speaks during a demonstration in Sao Paulo, Brazil on January 24, 2018. \nA Brazilian appeals court Wednesday upheld ex-president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva's conviction for corruption, effectively ending his hopes of reelection this year. Two of the three judges in the appeals court in the southern city of Porto Alegre ruled that his original 9.5-year jail sentence should be extended to more than 12 years.\n / AFP PHOTO / NELSON ALMEIDA
Former Brazilian president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva (C) speaks during a demonstration in Sao Paulo, Brazil on January 24, 2018. \nA Brazilian appeals court Wednesday upheld ex-president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva's conviction for corruption, effectively ending his hopes of reelection this year. Two of the three judges in the appeals court in the southern city of Porto Alegre ruled that his original 9.5-year jail sentence should be extended to more than 12 years.\n / AFP PHOTO / NELSON ALMEIDA

El expresidente brasileño Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva insistió este miércoles en su inocencia después de que la Justicia aumentara a 12 años su condena por corrupción y aseguró que "la provocación es tan grande", que ahora quiere "ser candidato a la Presidencia".

"Todo lo hacen para evitar que yo pueda ser candidato, ni ganar, solo ser candidato. Pero la provocación es tan grande que ahora quiero ser candidato a presidente de la República", dijo ante una plaza abarrotada por miles de simpatizantes en Sao Paulo.

Brazilian former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva speaks during a demonstration in his support in Sao Paulo, Brazil, Wednesday, Jan. 24, 2018. Two appellate court judges have voted to uphold a graft conviction against da Silva, raising the specter that the former leader won't be able to run for Brazil's top job despite holding a lead in the polls. (AP Photo/Andre Penner)
Brazilian former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva speaks during a demonstration in his support in Sao Paulo, Brazil, Wednesday, Jan. 24, 2018. Two appellate court judges have voted to uphold a graft conviction against da Silva, raising the specter that the former leader won't be able to run for Brazil's top job despite holding a lead in the polls. (AP Photo/Andre Penner)

A su vez, afirmó que la decisión de la justicia de ese país de confirmar la condena en su contra por corrupción es una "venganza" por haber modificado la realidad económica y social de Brasil durante su presidencia.

"Esto es una venganza por sacar a tanta gente de la pobreza. Es una estrategia para transformar eso", dijo Lula. "Nunca tuve la ilusión de ser absuelto, no esperaba otra cosa del tribunal de Porto Alegre".

"Ellos saben que no cometí ningún crimen. Quiero que me pidan disculpas por las mentiras que dicen sobre mí. Quiero que digan cual fue el crimen que cometí", agregó. "Le digo a la élite brasileña: vamos a volver. Vamos a probar que el pueblo no es el problema, sino la solución", sentenció.