Learn Portuguese (Portugal): O líder combate a injustiça, mesmo que não tenha apoio. - The leader fights the injustice, even if he does not have support.

tenha is the Present Subjunctive of ter (to have). The phrase mesmo que sets up a condition that doesn't stop the main action. In Portuguese, mesmo que always triggers the subjunctive, whether the lack of support is a hypothetical possibility ('even if') or an accepted fact ('even though').

In English we say 'fights injustice', so why is there an a before injustiça?

In English, we usually drop the article when talking about abstract concepts generally. But in Portuguese, abstract nouns and general concepts almost always require a definite article. Since injustiça is a feminine noun, it takes a.

Could I use embora instead of mesmo que in this sentence?

Yes, you could say embora não tenha apoio, as both phrases trigger the subjunctive. However, embora usually translates more closely to 'even though' (implying the lack of support is a known fact), while mesmo que leans more towards 'even if' (treating it as a hypothetical scenario).

Why does the word líder have an accent mark?

Portuguese words ending in -r naturally stress the final syllable (just like the verb combater). Because líder is stressed on the first syllable instead, it requires a written accent to break that standard pronunciation rule.