Kidnapping of Abilio Diniz

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In December 1989, Brazilian billionaire businessman Abilio Diniz was the victim of a kidnapping, that took place on the day of the first Brazilian democratic presidential elections after a military dictatorship. His kidnapping was meant to raise money for Sandinista guerrillas.^{[not verified in body]}

It was followed by an almost immediate police rescue that revealed that among the kidnappers were Chileans, Argentinians and two Canadians: David Spencer and Christine Lamont, both students at Simon Fraser University in British Columbia.

The candidates were Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, founding member of the Workers' Party (Partido dos trabalhadores - PT), and Fernando Collor de Mello, the right wing party candidate running for a newly formed National Reconstruction Party (Partido da reconstrução nacional - PRN). As there was a prohibition of any political party of talking to the media; television, radio or newspapers, on the days prior to election day, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva's party had no opportunity to clarify the accusations that the party (PT) was involved in the kidnapping.