It was important to note that the prime minister himself acknowledged procedural failures, and that is what is not good in the Government—having such procedural mishaps among ministers,” he stated, describing it as “a government with such mishaps, and that is not advisable, that is bad.”
André Ventura was speaking to journalists in Faro during a brief walkabout, accompanied by the party’s parliamentary leader, Pedro Pinto, and the mayoral candidate.
“What concerns me is not when the Lajes Air Base is used by democratic countries; what concerns me is when the Lajes Air Base is used in Portugal by Islamic nations or dictatorships like Venezuela, Iran, or other countries. This worries me more,” he stated.
When asked if responsibilities should be assumed, the Chega leader argued that parties should “focus on what matters to people at this moment” and that the “Government should avoid mishaps like this.”
“I am sure that, for 99.9% of Portuguese people, the transactions at the Lajes Air Base between the Portuguese Government and other governments mean very little. I think people are worried about the lack of housing, low wages, corruption, and justice,” he listed.
On the occasion, André Ventura was also questioned about the detention of the BE coordinator and other Portuguese citizens, who were part of the humanitarian flotilla to Gaza.
“Frankly, I think we do not gain much by bringing Mariana Mortágua back,” he said, again criticizing the decision of the BE member to join this group and advising her to “care about the Portuguese first.”
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MNE) acknowledged on Thursday an internal procedural failure when the services did not inform them that American F-35 jets destined for Israel would pass through the Lajes Air Base in the Azores.
The movement of the aircraft in April received a favorable opinion from the National Aeronautical Authority (AAN), which is under the Ministry of National Defense, and had “communication and tacit authorization,” according to the MNE.
The failure, according to the Government, prevented an alert at a political level that would allow for an opposing decision.
The PS, PCP, and Livre have already announced they will summon the head of diplomacy, Paulo Rangel, and also the Minister of Defense, Nuno Melo, whose resignation was requested by the Left Bloc and refused by the prime minister, Luís Montenegro.
