During his controversial life, fútbol legend Diego Maradona was a loyal supporter of leftist movements in the continent. From Fidel Castro to Evo Morales and Hugo Chávez, the Argentine was a loyal ally to left-wing regimes, regardless of the human rights violations thrown against them.
In 2017, for example, after more than 120 civilians were killed in a series of anti-government protests against Nicolás Maduro, Maradona declared himself a "soldier" of the Venezuelan president. "We are Chavistas to death", he claimed. "I will be there dressed as a soldier for a free Venezuela, to fight against imperialism and those who want to seize our flag, which is the most sacred thing we have."
On Wednesday, however, Maduro called for Maradona's help once more, almost four years after his death, by asking him to haunt Argentine president Javier Milei in his sleep. "Diego, I need a favor," Maduro said. "Haunt Milei while he's asleep, show up in his room and pull his blankets, Diego".
He then asked the audience: "do you think it's a good idea for Maradona to haunt him?"
"Don't let him sleep, he hurts our people so much" he said before labeling Milei a Nazi, something he's done several times in the past.
During his speech, which took place at an "anti-fascist" rally in Caracas, Maduro also showed off a Hublot watch given to him by Maradona, valued at more than $30,000, claiming that he wears as a good luck charm. He then added:
"Diego is here with us, the Diego of the people. He is dearly missed, especially so he could put Milei in his place"
🔴 MADURO INVOCÓ A MARADONA PARA QUE "ESPANTE" A MILEI: "JÁLALE LAS PATAS, DIEGO"
— Filo.news (@filonewsOK) September 12, 2024
◾️ Su relación con Javier Milei está enmarcada en insultos cruzados, calificando al argentino de "fascista", "nazi" y un "error de la historia". pic.twitter.com/u9CMmN8BbA
Maduro and Milei have had a strained relationship for months, which only escalated after the Argentine president became one of the most vocal skeptics of the Venezuelan's questioned electoral victory on July 28. "Argentina won't recognize another fraud and waits for the armed forces to defend democracy and the popular will this time," said Milei on a post on X that same day. In response, Maduro expelled members of the Argentine embassy from Caracas.
Just last week Milei turned up the notch on the feud even more by claiming Maduro turned Venezuela into a "human graveyard":
"Let's look at the criminal murderous dictatorship of Maduro in Venezuela, which at this point is a human cemetery and where they bring forward Christmas to October to cover up the most blatant fraud in history, and where they are now imprisoning the one who won the elections."
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