Lula registered as presidential candidate

BRAZIL’S Workers’ Party (PT) has officially registered ex-president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva as its presidential candidate with the nation’s top election body, the Superior Electoral Court (TSE).

Some 13 presidential hopefuls have registered to run in the October 7 race. All eyes are on Lula, since the electorate’s favourite candidate is fighting an uphill battle to be in the running. Brazilian law bars convicts from running for elected office and the two-time president is serving a 12-year prison sentence for corruption.

On Wednesday Lula’s supporters turned out by the tens of thousands in a show of force designed to pressure the TSE into validating his candidacy. And his backers appeared to be banking on an ongoing appeals process to absolve their candidate.