The Mothers of Plaza de Mayo, a human rights organization in Argentina that demands justice for crimes committed during Argentina's military dictatorship, has sent a letter of solidarity to embattled former Brazilian President and Workers Party leader Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who faces a nine year prison sentence.
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“The Mothers today sent a letter to Lula in recognition of his work, which the Brazilian leader himself decided to publish,” the organization posted on their Facebook page, sharing a post by Lula that had shared the letter.
The “Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo” said that the Workers Party of Brazil leader is a victim of persecution from the current right-wing government of Brazil.
“During your presidency, millions of Brazilians were able to get out of poverty, a result of the public policies of your government, and of your firm and determined political conviction. That is what those who now defame, harass, and persecute you can not tolerate,” the President of the association, Hebe de Bonafini wrote.
The Argentinian social leader compared the struggle and leadership of Lula to that of the disappeared for whom Las Madres de Plaza de Mayo have fought for justice for decades.
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“I recognize in you an exceptional leader who, for decades, has been fighting for a free, fair and sovereign Latin American homeland, - the same as our 30,000 missing children,” she said.
The organization, which celebrated its 40th year anniversary in 2017, fights for justice for those who were disappeared during Argentina's military dictatorship. Since 1977, the women of the organization have met every Thursday at the Plaza de Mayo in front of the Casa Rosada presidential palace in Buenos Aires, protesting on behalf of the more than 30,000 disappeared.
Bonafini is a major critic of Argentina's right-wing President Mauricio Macri. Macri has previously insulted Bonafini, calling her “deranged,” and has insisted that she exaggerates the number of victims during the military regime.
Lula was recently sentenced to nine years in prison for allegedly being implicated in the Petrobras corruption network, possibly barring him from participating in the 2018 elections, for which he was a leading candidate in early polls.