Christopher Martin Brazil’s President Lula da Silva visited his ally, Cristina Kirchner, in a show of solidarity for the former Argentine president currently serving a six-year house arrest sentence at her home in Buenos Aires.
Lula, in the city to assume his role as the pro tempore Mercosur president, took a trip from the Brazilian embassy on a pre-arranged visit to Kirchner at home in the Constitucion neighbourhood. Earlier in the day, he had met with President Javier Milei and other Latin American leaders at the summit, where he used his speech to suggest “fortifying inter-bloc trade with foreign associates.”
The Brazilian president, who himself was convicted before returning to the presidency in 2022, spoke fondly of his lunchtime meeting with Kirchner. “I wished her all the strength to continue fighting with the same determination that has characterized her life and political career.”
He arrived at Kirchner’s flat at around 12.30pm and spent roughly 45 minutes there. The apartment has received large crowds of people outside ever since the 72-year-old’s sentence began in mid-June of this year.
Her conviction was given for her role in the “Vialidad” case, where 51 public works contracts in Santa Cruz province were funnelled to a company belonging to her friend Lázaro Báez.
Solidarity and “Free Cristina”
79-year-old Lula also posed for a photograph holding a poster saying “Free Cristina”, (Cristina Libre, by its Spanish translation).
A source present at the meeting told The Herald how the reunion is the “launch of an international campaign: Free Cristina.”
“Lula surprised us by saying, ‘I went to see her because I believe in her innocence’,” the source added.
Kirchner herself took to social media platform X to express her gratitude for Lula’s flying visit saying it was “more than a personal gesture” and instead a “political act of solidarity.”
Lula also added on X, “I was very happy to see her again and find her so well, so strong and eager to fight.”
Additional reporting from Martina Jaureguy