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."
