Lula: "Why can Angela Merkel be in power for 16 years, but not Ortega?"

Former Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva returned to the spotlight ahead of next year's elections. Although he has not yet officially announced his candidacy to run again, the former head of state has been touring Brazil giving speeches and holding interviews with the press.

While in Spain, Lula spoke with El País and generated controversy by comparing Nicaraguan strongman Daniel Ortega to German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

"Why can Angela Merkel be in power for 16 years, but not Ortega?" Lula asked emphatically when pressed about the internationally disputed Nicaraguan elections where seven candidates have been jailed and three opposition parties were banned by Ortega’s regime.  

🇧🇷 Em entrevista, o ex-presidente Lula questionou:

"Por que que Angela Merkel pode ficar 16 anos no poder e Daniel Ortega não?"

A repórter responde que Angela Merkel não mandou prender opositores.pic.twitter.com/lNHAFlNif7

— Eixo Político (@eixopolitico) November 23, 2021

Lula conceded that imprisoning political opponents is wrong, but stopped short of criticizing Ortega directly.

“I cannot judge what has happened in Nicaragua. If Ortega stops the opposition leaders from running in the elections, as they did against me, it is completely wrong," he said.

However, Lula opened up regarding his political aspirations and a potential presidential run in 2022.

“I can be a candidate. I'm working to be a candidate. But it does not depend on my personal will, it does not depend on me. I have to build a program for Brazil with other people and other parties. I have to create a coalition because winning elections is not the only thing that matters. One must be able to govern,” he said.

Lula was jailed in 2018 for receiving a beachside apartment from an engineering company implicated in the Car Wash investigation. He was released early in 2018 after a controversial supreme court ruling.