“It raises the question of whether Mariana Mortágua served the cause or if she used the Palestinian cause for her own benefit,” stated Mariana Leitão to journalists, commenting on the detention of the Bloco de Esquerda leader by Israeli military, along with other activists who were part of a flotilla intending to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza.
Speaking on the sidelines of a campaign event for the local elections in Évora, Mariana Leitão expressed her hope that everyone is safe and will return home securely but questioned “if the cause they intended to serve was indeed achieved.”
Regarding the Portuguese government’s stance on the situation, Mariana Leitão expressed her belief that the consular services are providing the necessary support and that the administration “fulfilled its responsibilities” throughout the process.
The activists “were warned not to leave international waters; the military escort [accompanying them] also did not enter the waters they supposedly headed to, and thus several warnings were issued about the security issues that could arise from certain actions,” she noted.
“Beyond that, there is not much more to add,” summarized Mariana Leitão.
