Roundup: Former Brazilian president defiant after interrogation over corruption allegations

Former Brazilian president, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, simply known as Lula, said Friday that he felt like a prisoner after being detained for interrogation as part of a corruption investigation.

At a press conference on Friday after being interrogated by federal investigators for three hours at Sao Paulo's Congonhas airport, Lula said he felt "offended" but the support he had received inspired him to "keep fighting."

"I felt like a prisoner this morning. I have been through a lot in my life. I am not the type of man to bear a grudge but our country can continue like this," said a defiant Lula.

He accused Sergio Moro, the judge who leads Operation Car Wash, the investigation into the Petrobras corruption ring, of "arrogance" in sending an order for Lula to be detained.

The former president told the press that he had previously voluntarily testified to investigators and that he would have been happy to appear again at their request.

He also accused the investigations by the federal prosecutor of being infiltrated by the media. "While lawyers know nothing, certain media already know things. It is shameful that a piece of the Brazilian justice system is working in association with the press," Lula noted.

"When there used to be an accusation of a crime, an investigation would happen to confirm it and then arrest the criminal. Today, the first thing that happens is to decide who is a criminal," he continued.

Lula also announced that he would be embarking on a national tour next week to meet with union forces and labor movements to "restart the fight against inequality."

Furthermore, he apologized to his wife, Marisa Leticia, and his children for the troubles they are experiencing. Lula's wife and children were also detained and interrogated on Friday morning, which Lula felt "there is no reason to go after my children."

Finally, when asked about receiving money from speeches given to companies that have been involved in the embezzling of public funds, Lula said many former heads of state is on the lecture circuit.

Earlier in the day, police officers searched Lula's residence in Sao Paulo and the Lula Institute, an organization founded after the former president left office. They also searched a ranch and an apartment which investigators said belong to Lula. The former president, however, denied his ownership of the property.

The operation is part of Brazil's massive anti-corruption campaign code-named Operation Car Wash, which aims to dismantle schemes of corruption in the government.

Lula was taken to the federal police station for questioning and was released three hours later. But he was not arrested or charged.

Federal prosecutors stated, after Lula's release, that there is no evidence to charge him with a crime so far. However, the investigation also obtained permission to remove bank secrecy from Lula's accounts for the last five years. These will now be scrutinized to spot any suspicious transactions. Endite