On Tuesday in the  southern city Curitiba, Brazil, The Workers’ Party announced the removal of former president, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva,  from the 2018 presidential race.

The removal was due to several failed attempts in court of putting da Silva on the ballot.

Lula is currently serving 12 years in prison for corruption. The law introduced in 2010 where a clean criminal record is needed to run for public office is preventing him from being on the ballot.

The announcement the Workers’ Party made was a letter written by imprisoned da Silva.

Da Silva, also know as Lula to Brazilians worldwide, wrote in the letter that “I want everyone who would vote for me to vote for Fernando Haddad for president of Brazil.”

Haddad, the former mayor of Sao Paulo, Brazil, was named the replacement as the Workers’ Party nominee. He will be running with Manuela D’Avila, a member of the Brazilian Communist Party.

Haddad was also the Education Minister under Lula’s administration during his presidency. Lula referred to himself and Hadad as F.C. Barcelona’s soccer stars Luis Suarez and Lionel Messi.

“We play together and we don’t need even need to look at each to know what the other is doing.”

It is unclear how replacing Lula with Haddad will affect the polls with the election looming in October 2018. Many Lula supporters are upset about him not being on the ballot.

If Haddad is successful in the polls, he will replace current president, Michel Temer. Temer has been in office since August 2016, and he is not rerunning.

However, Haddad urges that “Now is not the time have your heads down.”