Original article: Activista Thiago Ávila volvió a Brasil tras 10 días detenido en Israel: Llamó a ampliar la movilización internacional en defensa de Palestina Brazilian activist Thiago Ávila has returned to his country after being detained for 10 days in Israel, where he was reportedly abducted by military forces of Netanyahu’s regime during the raid on the Global Sumud Flotilla, which was heading to Gaza with humanitarian aid. Upon his arrival at São Paulo’s Guarulhos International Airport, Ávila was welcomed by family members and organizations supporting Palestine. He reiterated his accusations of torture and isolation during his detention.
«I didn’t even know if it was day or night; I was almost always blindfolded, in places without ventilation. I had no access to the outside world, only when my lawyers or the Brazilian diplomatic service came to visit,» Ávila recounted upon his return to Brazil. He also mentioned that Palestinian prisoners were extremely grateful to Brazil and its President, Lula da Silva, for speaking out against Israel’s crimes.
Personally, he expressed joy upon learning that the President had demanded his immediate release. «I am not entirely sure, but I believe this could escalate to a demand in the International Court of Justice. That is what should happen against yet another crime by Benjamin Netanyahu,» the activist added, lamenting that Brazil still maintains military, commercial, and academic ties with Israel, which he believes should be severed.
Thiago Ávila called for a strengthened and expanded international movement in defense of Palestine, emphasizing that global solidarity in this matter faces campaigns of criminalization, censorship, and defamation: «It’s not that people no longer want to mobilize; it’s that they face very powerful forces (…) but they are not more powerful than all of humanity combined,» stated the activist, who was released alongside Saif Abukeshek, a Spanish citizen of Palestinian descent.