Havana, July 16 (RHC)-- Participants at the 24th Meeting of the Sao Paulo Forum in Havana have denounced the political and judicial persecution that Latin American left-wing leaders are being subjected to, calling on social movements and progressive forces in the region to express their solidarity.

In statements to Prensa Latina, former Ecuadorian foreign minister Ricardo Patiño pointed to the cases of former Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff, who is here in Havana attending the Sao Paulo forum meeting, ousted in a parliamentary coup, also former Brazilian president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who is being subjected to a scheme that seeks to prevent him from running for the country's presidency again. 

Patiño said that former Argentinean president Cristina Fernández de Kirchner and former Ecuadorian president Rafael Correa are being subjected to a judicial persecution, as is former Ecuadorian vice president Jorge Glas, who is serving jail time on false corruption allegations.

The former Ecuadorian foreign minister said the list of regional progressive leaders attacked in this crusade of imperialist right-wing forces continues growing, and mentioned Bolivian President Evo Morales as well as the constitutional government in Nicaragua, headed by Daniel Ortega.