Bolivia's President Evo Morales has criticized mounting media and judicial persecution of the former presidents of Brazil and Ecuador, Lula da Silva and Rafael Correa.
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Posting on his official Twitter account, Morales said the political campaigns against the two former leaders – one jailed for supposed corruption, the other charged with involvement in the failed kidnapping of a former diplomat – were being waged by imperial forces.
Those forces, Morales said, "cannot forgive them for lifting their nations out of misery and returning them to a state of sovereignty and dignity."
"Everybody knows the media and judicial persecution of you and brother @LulaOficial is being promoted by the empire that can't forgive you took your countries out of misery and returned them to sovereignty and dignity. We're with you, brother @MashiRafael."
Morales was responding to an earlier tweet by Correa, which in turn referenced another tweet by Morales to draw comparison between colonial expeditions betraying the Incan emperor Atahualpa, and Correa's own situation in Ecuador.
"Please, tell the government, the 'transients,' the fake comptroller, the 'deputy' prosecutor, the 'deputy' Judiciary Council and the corrupt press... that I had nothing to do with this crime," posted Correa. "PS: I'm being told they've already got 'testimonies' accusing me."
In response, Morales voiced his support for Correa and Lula, both of whom are being persecuted by their respective nations' right-wing apparatus.
Morales also thanked U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders and 28 other U.S. lawmakers for sending a letter to Brazil's de facto President Michel Temer demanding Lula's immediate release.
"We're thankful that @SenSander, a progressive leader, and another 28 U.S. lawmakers have sent a letter to the Brazilian government demanded the release of our brother @LulaOficial. Everywhere in the world people are mobilizing against injustice. Truth will triumph. #LulaLivre"
Brazil's former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has been detained for more than 100 days in Curitiba after being sentenced to 12 years and one month in jail for passive corruption despite no evidence having ever been submitted.
Prosecutors claim Lula accepted a luxury apartment as a bribe in exchange for contracts with Odebrecht, a Brazilian construction giant.
Ecuador's former President Rafael Correa is wanted by Ecuadorean authorities in connection with the attempted kidnap of a former opposition Congress member, Fernando Balda, in 2012.
Balda says five people tried to kidnap him in Bogota, but Colombian police intervened. Evidence supporting the allegations has yet to be made public.