Bolsonaro supports “freedom movement” in Cuba; Lula condemns US blockade

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro defended the “movement calling for freedom” in Cuba and warned about a possible return to power of former president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, founding member of the ultra-leftist Puebla group, who in turn condemned the U.S. blockade of the island.

“I support the movement that demands freedom there. But what does Lula think? Imagine if that bandit were elected president of the Republic”, said Bolsonaro to a group of followers, in allusion to the elections to be held in Brazil in 2022 and the possible candidacy of the former president, a favorite in all polls.

The Brazilian right-wing leader assured that to prevent Brazil from “falling in line with Cuba,” it is necessary to change the electronic voting system, which Brazil adopted more than two decades ago and is considered absolutely secure.

Bolsonaro, however, assures that this system favors “the theft” of elections and that a “fraud” is in “preparation” for next year’s elections, which would supposedly be to facilitate Lula’s return to power.

The Workers’ Party (PT) leader also commented this Tuesday on the situation in Cuba, after thousands of Cubans took to the streets to protest against the government shouting “freedom!” and stressed the economic blockade by the government of United States.

“What is happening in Cuba that is so special that there is so much talk? There was a walkout. I even saw the president of Cuba on the walk, talking to people. Cuba has already suffered 60 years of economic blockade by the United States, even more with the pandemic, it is inhuman,” said Lula, who is close to President Miguel Diaz-Canel as he was to the Castro brothers, on Twitter.

Lula, who visited Cuba late last year to film a documentary and met with the Cuban president, assured that the Americans “need to stop with that rancor” and stressed that “the blockade is a way of killing human beings who are not at war.” “What is the United States afraid of? I know it is one country trying to interfere in another,” he declared.

According to the former trade unionist, the president of the United States, Joe Biden, “should take advantage of this moment to go on television and announce that he will adopt the recommendation of the countries in the UN to end this blockade.”