Few politicians have endured a more stunning fall from grace than former Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. During his term in office, he was a progressive hero who championed the poor while raising his country to undisputed prominence in Latin America. Last week, Lula (as he is commonly known) was convicted on charges of corruption and money laundering and sentenced to nine years in prison. While he accuses the prosecution of political motives, Lula was likely guilty of the charges — because the political system in Brazil, like other countries of the region, suffers from endemic corruption and there has been no other way to rise to (or stay in) power. Brazil's voters must now decide if that is enough to prevent his resurgence and return to power.

Lula's biography is a heartwarming tale. He was born in poverty — the first Brazilian president with those origins — and possessed only a fourth-grade education (some reports say he had just two years of schooling). He was a former shoe-shine boy, steel worker and labor organizer who founded the Brazilian Workers Party, which he used as a platform for four presidential runs: He lost three times before prevailing in the 2002 election. He was re-elected four years later in a landslide, with support from all parts of Brazilian society.

Lula's reign is rightfully applauded as an extraordinary time for Brazil and Brazilians. At least 30 million people were lifted out of poverty and joined the middle class during his presidency. He established social safety nets and transfer programs that won international acclaim and recognition by institutions such as the World Bank and the United Nations. By the end of his second term, Time magazine identified him as one of the 100 most influential people in the world and one prominent leftist intellectual called him "the most successful politician of his time."