Brazil's former presidential candidate Fernando Haddad, a member of the Workers Party (PT), denounced Tuesday the judicial persecution against Latin American leftist leaders, which activists have been called "lawfare" that is carried out through controversial legal processes.
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"This new way of doing politics erodes democracy," Haddad said and added that "Brazil goes through a great setback in all aspects, especially from the viewpoint of freedoms and civil, political and social rights."
Haddad mentioned the case of Argentina's former President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner, against whom eight different judicial causes were opened, a politically-biased move which makes her a victim of unprecedented persecution in her country.
Another right-wing-driven persecution case is that of Brazil's former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who has been in prison since April 2018 accused of corruption crimes, none of which has been proven.
Lula was imprisoned just months before the presidntial elections in which he was the favorite candidate ahead of far-right politician Jair Bolsonaro who ended up being elected as Brazil's president due to Lula's inability to run.
On a related issue, the Workers Party leader pointed out that the latest expression of this attack against left-wing politicians can be seen in the U.S. backed attempt to destabilize Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro.
"Trump and Bolsonaro want a military intervention in Venezuela... the U.S. is provoking a conflict to take control of that country's oil resources. There is no doubt about that," Haddad said and stressed that "we are very cautious regarding world powers' participation in local conflict resolution."