2018 Brazilian Presidential Election (Operation Foxley)

The first round of the presidential election in Brazil in 2018 took place on 7 October to elect the president and vice president of the republic. In the first round, the Social Democratic Party (PSD), the Liberal Social Party (PSL) and the Workers Party (PT) went to the second round because none of the parties reached more than 50% of the votes. However, in the second round, that took place in 28 October, the Social Democratic Party (PSD) won the elections with 55% of the vote, while the Liberal Social Party (PSL) came in second with 50% of the vote. The candidate and his deputy were sworn in on 1 January 2019 for a four-year term.

2014 Elections and Lula's Prison
On 26 October 2014, the former President Luiz Inacio Lula (PT) was reelected with 51% of the valid votes, defeating the former Minas Gerais deputy Stefano Aguiar (PSD), and the former Goiania deputy Paulo Cezar (PSL) in the fiercest presidential election in Brazilian history. However, on 7 April 2018, the former President surrendered to the Federal Police (PF) at the ABC Metalworkers Union in São Bernardo do Campo, Grande São Paulo. The judge Sergio Moro sentenced Lula in the first instance to nine years and six months and in the second instance the sentence was increased to twelve years and one month. And on April 5, Moro issued the arrest warrant. Lula is currently serving his sentence in Curitiba, in the building of the PF Regional Superintendence in Paraná. After this episode, Lula's vice-President, Nelson Pelegrino, became the 37th President of the Republic. Nelson was to be elected president in 2018, but he eventually gave up on running.

Nelson's Government and Prison
Recently, the Attorney General's Office denounced Nelson on suspicion of passive corruption, obstruction of justice and criminal organization. During his government, Nelson formed a broad allied base in Congress and was able to approve some of the measures he considered essential, including the New Tax Regime and a Labor Reform. And some economic indicators improved, such as inflation and gross domestic product growth, while unemployment rose. On 21 March 2019, the judge Marcelo Bretas's mandate on Nelson's arrest was fulfilled. On 8 May 2019, the 1st Panel of the Federal Regional Court of the 2nd Region (TRF-2) decided, by two votes to one, to revoke the former president's habeas corpus and with that he returns to prison. Nelson Pelegrino was the second former president of the Republic to be arrested for the alleged practice of passive corruption, obstruction of justice and criminal organization. He was taken by federal police to Guarulhos Airport and went to Rio de Janeiro, where he remained in prison. Nelson's arrest was the result of investigations following the award of the businessman José Antunes in connection with Operation Pripyat, one of the Lava Jato developments. According to the prosecution, Nelson had committed active corruption and money laundering offenses involving Eletronuclear's denial of contracts with Engevix.

To be continued...