"There is no need to fear dictators"

Alexei Navalny's case shocked the world. The staunch critic of corruption in Russia and Vladimir Putin's main political rival collapsed, poisoned, on a plane returning from Siberia. After saving his life in a Berlin hospital, he returned to his country. He was arrested at the airport and ended up imprisoned in an Arctic prison, where he died under mysterious circumstances on February 16, 2024. In his cell, he managed to secretly piece together a powerful book, which was compiled outside. In 'Patriot' (Península publishing), he predicted his own death. He also charted a course through a country darkened by Putin's long and sinister shadow and his self-portrait. That of an unyielding man, possessing strong democratic convictions.

Yulia Navalnaya, his widow, has now taken up his mantle and is managing his legacy. She has turned her life into a mission. Exiled in Germany, she appears on a list of extremists compiled by Russian authorities and cannot return to her country, although she seems to possess the same strength and determination as her husband. On Wednesday, she will inaugurate, under tight security, the Women's Leadership Congress

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in Madrid. Her blouse, from a Belarusian brand, displays a large heart on the lapel. Navalny recounts in the book that, after waking from a coma, he began to notice hearts on a wall. Each day a different one. His wife painted them, and they always accompanied him. It's a coincidence. She, always by his side, was also with him at the airport when he was arrested.

Let me clarify something. Alexei always lived in Russia and never left. But he was poisoned, and we had to move him to Germany for medical treatment. He couldn't decide anything, as he was in a coma. We never wanted to leave Russia. We had no choice because we knew the government had poisoned him. He was in a coma for almost a month and then spent a long time recovering. It was evident he would return to Russia because it was his country, he lived there, and he didn't want to go elsewhere. He wasn't someone living in exile for political reasons who one day decided to return. It wasn't like that. He always remained in Russia, fought bravely, inspired many people, and had many followers. So he didn't have to explain anything to me. There was no debate. For us, it was evident we had to return home.

Alexei was the leader of the Russian opposition. He fought on the front lines against Vladimir Putin's regime and didn't want to do it from afar. He always wanted to show by example that it's crucial not to be afraid to move in the right direction. If you're doing the right thing, it's essential not to be afraid. That's why it was obvious, even when he was in a coma, that we would return to Russia. He was never scared.

It's not even about not showing fear. It's about not having it. Otherwise, it's impossible to be a leader or a brave activist to fight against this regime. You must have confidence in what you're doing, in the people around you, and in your followers. You must not fear dictators.

The management of that disaster influenced him greatly. He was a child then. But don't think it was the main reason. There are many parallels with the current situation. The strategy that the Soviet Union's regime had then and the one Putin's regime has now is based on keeping the truth as far away from the people as possible. Why does it happen? Because they don't trust their own people, as they are not elected by these people.

Alexei was the first to create a political channel on YouTube. He focused on exposing corruption, had great success, and opened another for live broadcasts. When he was imprisoned, we opened another channel. We have about twelve million subscribers, and most of them live in Russia. For us, it's crucial to show that, even though they killed my husband, we continue to fight. We publish many anti-corruption investigations. We also show those in exile. The connection with these people inside Russia is very important.

It's not possible for the opposition to exist within Russia. If you position yourself against Putin's regime or against the war, you will be immediately imprisoned. For example, almost all independent Russian journalists live in exile, although they continue to publish in media and are committed to the Russian people. News about Putin's regime, the war, and corruption is very important. Putin hated my husband because he knew that the issue of corruption unites all people, and he was very successful when denouncing it. All Russians know that corruption is enormous and affects all areas of life.

I don't understand why you use the word possible. Of course, I am a leader of the opposition. Now it doesn't make sense to fight for leadership, if that's what you mean. That's not the goal. I am well-known, I think of myself as a leader, but the situation is very difficult. I've already explained that many opposition politicians cannot return to Russia. Neither can I. There are several criminal cases against me. I'm on a list of extremists. My job is to do something useful every day so that this regime disappears as soon as possible.

I know I'm doing dangerous work. I have my husband's example. But there's no reason to continue if you're afraid. It's very important to be at peace with yourself, to have confidence, and to know you're doing the right thing. Many people supported my husband and now support me. It's very important to show them that I greatly appreciate that support. I cannot be afraid.

I don't think it's possible now, but I believe it's very possible to make him much weaker. And I think it's not just about the Russians, but about the international community, which must understand that fighting dictators is really very important. Because first, they drive corruption, then they change laws and the constitution, then they start poisoning and killing their political opponents, and finally, they start wars. That's the path any dictator takes.

In my work, it's better not to be disappointed. Otherwise, I wouldn't have the strength to carry on. But I don't think the international community, if we refer to the United States or the European Union, is doing enough. Putin has been in power since 2000. A few years after he became president, everyone realized he wasn't democratic. There was enough time. However, in a democratic world, there is no strategy to fight against Putin. It seems to me that there must be a strategy to help people who are against Putin and against the war.

I'm very disappointed that Donald Trump treats Vladimir Putin as an equal when he clearly isn't. Trump was democratically elected president of the United States, a great country known for its democratic values, while Putin is a dictator who proclaimed himself president. He has never participated in democratic elections. The previous president appointed him president, and then there have been no normal democratic elections.

There will be no free elections in Russia while Vladimir Putin is in power. My husband is a very good example. When he ran for president, we opened offices in more than 80 cities, and tens of thousands of people volunteered. It was obvious he would be a very strong candidate, so, of course, he wasn't allowed to participate. Only weak candidates could run, and they didn't get more than one percent of the votes. I believe a lot in Russians. I want to remind you that just 40 years ago, many people lived under socialist regimes in Europe and took to the streets to end those regimes. In our lives, it's a very long stage, but in historical periods, it's a very short time. I consider that my mission and my work are based on ensuring this process takes place as soon as possible.

It's not. I'm sure there are many people against the war, but they can't show it because they would go to prison. We must also recognize that Kremlin propaganda is very strong. There are only propaganda television channels. People who seek independent information sources must make a great effort to obtain it, so if you don't have great motivation, you probably don't know the real picture. The economic situation was never very good. There is a lot of money, but it accumulates around some high-level people, especially officials, and ordinary people live very poor lives. When people's priority is to find bread and butter for their children, the political or international situation doesn't matter as much. I think that's why Putin didn't want to develop a country with so many resources. He wants people to remain impoverished and uneducated.

Russians are very brave. And there are many people against this regime. I'm absolutely sure that one day we will return to Russia. It's very important to me. I can see it in my children too. They are Russians. They love their country very much. They love Russian culture and music. They also love Moscow, where they were born, and dream, like me, of returning to Russia someday.