Both the boycott campaign and the demonstration were sparked by the newspaper's latest alleged attempt at character assassination against Brazilian president Lula da Silva, this time by publishing an article by César Benjamin, an ex-ally and current Folha columnist, claiming that Lula admitted in 1994 he had attempted to sexually subdue a fellow inmate when jailed for political crime in the 80's. With the denial of the other people present at the said conversation and even those jailed with Lula during the dictatorship, including the said assaulted inmate, the author of the article apologised for any offense and the newspaper was forced to publish new stories denying the allegations a few days later.
Vuguvugu zote mbili, lile la mgomo na lile la maandamano yalichochewa na madai ya hivi karibuni kwamba gazeti hilo limekuwa likijaribu kumchafua Rais Lula da Silva kupitia makala iliyoandikwa na César Benjamin, ambaye alikuwa mtu wa karibu na Rais huyo na ambaye sasa ni mwandishi wa makala wa gazeti hilo la Folha, ambapo anadai kwamba Lula alikiri kuwa mwaka 1994, Lula alijaribu kumlazimisha mfungwa mwenzake kufanya ngono alipokuwa amefungwa kwa kosa la kisiasa katika miaka ya 80. pamoja na watu wanaodaiwa kuwepo katika mazungumzo hayo kukataa na hata wale waliofungwa pamoja na Lula wakati wa utawala wa kidikteta, ikiwa ni pamoja na mfungwa huyo anayedaiwa kutendewa hayo, mwandishi wa makala aliomba msamaha kwa kosa hilo na gazeti hilo lilitakiwa kuchapisha habari mpya ili kukanusha shutuma hizo siku chache baadae.