The support was announced by Vasco Lourenço in a statement, expressing his recognition of António José Seguro’s “clear and unambiguous commitment to the Constitution, plural democracy, and the protection of the fundamental rights of all Portuguese people.”
In the same statement, Vasco Lourenço called for the formation of “majorities and alliances that leave no doubt” among “progressive, democratic, and humanist forces” to achieve an “unequivocal result that clearly affirms the Portuguese choice for freedom and democracy” against “dangerous ambiguities” and “attempts to manipulate history.”
In comments to Lusa, the April captain went further, urging the left to abandon what he calls “inherent stupidity” and opt for a strategy of unity, focusing efforts around António José Seguro’s candidacy.
When asked if this means António Filipe and Catarina Martins should withdraw their candidacies, Vasco Lourenço responded affirmatively, noting that he has already conveyed this stance to the PCP-supported candidate during a meeting with the Associação 25 de Abril, which he presides over.
“I have great respect for him, I have known him for a long time, but his votes will be wasted votes. [I told him] ‘you have no chance of being elected’. Therefore, I believe that the left should, in a conscious manner, unite around someone capable of being elected,” he argued.
Vasco Lourenço stated that aside from recognizing qualities in Seguro, the socialist is the only one “in a position to counter the right-wing candidates,” insisting on a left union even if it means “covering one’s face” [on the ballot]—a reference to the plea made by then PCP leader Álvaro Cunhal for a vote for socialist Mário Soares in the 1986 presidential election against Freitas do Amaral.
Regarding the PS’s delay in endorsing a presidential candidate, the April military leader expressed his confusion, stating that “there were several potential candidates who did not step forward,” unlike António José Seguro.
Vasco Lourenço also revealed, without detail, that he received pressures to launch a presidential candidacy but refused the appeal due to age reasons.
In the statement sent to Lusa, he emphasized that in recent history, “there have been attempts to impose views of greater authoritarianism, even in a formally democratic context,” and that these impulses were “defeated by the firm citizen commitment to freedom and the clear collective will not to return to a time of fear.”
“Similarly, today it is imperative to unequivocally defeat any authoritarian inclinations that attempt to gain ground in our institutions and public debate,” he asserts.
