“It is a moment that should require all democrats to become collectively aware of the importance of supporting someone from the field of democratic socialism when the Socialist Party takes its position at an opportune moment to ensure that the values of democracy and the rule of law are safeguarded,” he said.
José Luís Carneiro was speaking to journalists on the sidelines of the presentation of Vítor Ferreira’s municipal candidacy for the Amadora City Hall after being questioned about the announcement of the Chega leader André Ventura’s candidacy for Belém.
The leader of the PS, who refused to answer further questions about presidential elections, criticized André Ventura for his remarks at an event in Madrid organized by the far-right party Vox, where the Chega leader called for the imprisonment of Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez and praised the “hunt for immigrants” that occurred in Murcia, southern Spain.
According to Carneiro, Ventura’s attitude was serious because he used “unacceptable language and behavior within the framework of democratic life and the civility that characterizes relations between people” and “legitimized the call for violence that was perpetrated against immigrants in Murcia.”
The socialist also insisted that “having someone with this personality” running for the Presidency of the Republic makes this a “decisive moment for democrats” to dialogue and “align positions among themselves” so that from the “field of democratic socialism a strong candidacy can emerge that is capable of reaching the second round and winning the presidential elections.”
Chega’s leader, André Ventura, today presented himself as the anti-system candidate for President of the Republic and argued that his participation in next year’s presidential elections is a way to lead the opposition.
In a statement at Chega headquarters, with no questions allowed, André Ventura presented himself as a candidate “on behalf of Chega, anti-system, and representing a break from party dominance” and considered that his opponent, former admiral Henrique Gouveia e Melo, is a “representative of the socialist space.”
In addition to André Ventura’s candidacy presented today, former PSD leader Marques Mendes, former military officer Gouveia e Melo, former PS leader António José Seguro, former PCP deputy António Filipe, and former BE leader Catarina Martins have announced their candidacies.
