Pro- and anti-Lula camps are vehement in their beliefs, but whose reasoning adds up?

As Prosecutor General Raquel Dodge has pointed out, Lula’s case in the Supreme Court is among “the most notorious and consequential trials” ever witnessed by the Brazilian Republic. The 11 justices will decide whether or not Brazil’s most popular leader – and the 2018 presidential election frontrunner – should go to jail.

The case – as is the case currently with any political topic – has greatly divided Brazilians. Pro- and anti-Lula demonstrations erupted across over 100 cities and four countries yesterday. Both sides want to put pressure on the justices, who have already proven over the years that they are susceptible to outside noise. “Right now, it seems that Brazil is made up of 200 million law experts. Everybody wants to talk about jurisprudence, presumption of innocence, and the rule of law,” Justice Gilmar Mendes said earlier this week.

Disregarding the irony and condescension of the remark, Mendes does have a point. Defenders of both Lula’s arrest or the suspension of his sentence seem to regard this issue without any nuance. Lula supporters...