Allies of Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who are betting on a moderate version of the PT for the 2022 presidential elections, have become worried about the former president's most recent comments.
The newest point of contention is the Nicaraguan dictatorship of Daniel Ortega, who has just won a fourth term as president, with several rivals imprisoned in the process.
In an interview with the Spanish newspaper El País, Lula compared Ortega's time in power (13 so far) to the terms of Angela Merkel as German chancellor, a position equivalent to that of the country's prime minister.
"Why can Angela Merkel stay 16 years in power and Daniel Ortega not?" asked the former president.
Lula is on a European tour, in which he has sought to differentiate himself from rival Jair Bolsonaro.
The case is not isolated. Added to that is the constant defense of another left-wing dictatorship, the Cuban, particularly Lula's omission in relation to the protests against the regime, the target of harsh repression this year.
Translated by Kiratiana Freelon