Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva tells Jair Bolsonaro how to fight

Brazil's ex-president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has returned from prison after his release following a sharp attack on his successor Jair Bolsonaro. Lula described Bolsonaro as a "rogue" and announced that he was traveling the country.

In a speech to supporters, Lula also expressed his solidarity with the leftist governments of South America, which had come under pressure, who had welcomed his release. In more than 70 cities, meanwhile, thousands of Brazilians protest against the release.

In front of the headquarters of the metalworkers' union in São Bernardo do Campo near São Paulo, the leftist ex-president was warmly received on Saturday by confidants, supporters and journalists. His ultra-right-wing successor, Bolsonaro, was chosen to "rule for the Brazilian people, not the militias in Rio de Janeiro," Lula said.

By militia paramilitary crime syndicates are meant, which, according to investigators control about 25 percent of the city of Rio. There had been speculation recently about possible connections between Bolsonaro's family and the militias.

Lula also railed against several members of Bolsonaro's cabinet, including the former judge and today's Justice Minister Sérgio Moro. He was the investigating judge, the investigation of the great corruption scandal "Operação Lava Jato" (Operation Car Wash) drove forward and sentenced Lula. He decided to face the arrest instead of leaving the country, Lula said. "Because I have to prove that Judge Moro was not a judge, he was a rogue who judged me."

Miguel Schincariol / AFP

Lula supporters in São Bernardo do Campo

On all floors of the union building in São Bernardo do Campo hung a huge banner with Lula's likeness, and a lump of several meters high lula cardboard was set up. On signs "Lula was free" to read.

Lula had left the prison on Friday amid the cheers of his followers after more than one and a half years in prison. The release was made possible after a ruling by the Supreme Court. This had lifted on Thursday a scheme under which a convicted person can be imprisoned before the exhaustion of all legal remedies, if his conviction was confirmed at the first appeal. Lula's lawyers had requested his release immediately after the verdict.

Lula announced after his release that he would travel through Brazil. He wanted to "show that this country could be much better if it had a president who does not lie as much on Twitter as Bolsonaro." He would continue to fight "to improve the life of the Brazilian people".

"Currently free but guilty"

Bolsonaro wrote on Twitter in the short message service that Lula was "currently free, but guilty." Last year Bolsonaro announced during his election campaign that he wanted Lula to "rot in prison".

Lula, who was president of Brazil from 2003 to 2010, was sentenced to 12 years in prison in 2017 following a sensational corruption case. Since April 2018 he has been serving his sentence, which has since been reduced to eight years and ten months. Lula is accused of having received a luxury apartment in return for lucrative orders from the state-owned Petrobras to the construction company OAS. He rejects all allegations and sees them as politically motivated to prevent him from returning to office.