In the letter sent to her relatives on January 19, the Bolivarian chief of State expressed his “deepest regret” for the departure of the Senator of the Historical Pact and highlighted that she is “a true friend, a sister in every way”, who maintained a deep identification with Commander Hugo Chávez since 2007.

“I can attest to the immense affection they had for each other and I feel that I am holding Chávez’s hand when writing these lines”, the President expressed, and pointed out that both were forever twinned to the “sacred cause of peace”.

Maduro recalled the battles that Piedad had to fight for the dignification of “sister Colombia”, and said that the congresswoman was a tireless warrior and one of the bravest women known.

He also considered her as an exemplary fervent defender of human rights and as a “selfless champion for peace” in her country, in addition to demonstrating her condition of genuine revolutionary throughout a lifetime of struggle.

The President pointed out that Piedad was persecuted and vilified for aspiring to a homeland without violence, without paramilitaries, without massacres and for “being a woman of African descent and a feminist”, and for having entered the political arena with that vision full of love for equality and freedom.

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