following the end of the indonesian occupation in 1999, she returned to east timor. freitas became the leader of the timorese workers' party, a party founded in 1974 by her father paulo freitas. in 2001, she was placed in a men's prison along with her children, accused of the murder of an australian. after two weeks, she was released without charge, the victim was never found. freitas attempted to run during the 2012 east timorese presidential election, but her candidacy was rejected by the president of the supreme court after she failed to meet the criteria to stand. she was blamed in 2004 by the east timor government for a series of protests against president xanana gusmão.