The day after the release of the preliminary report on the causes of the accident, André Ventura stated, “Sixteen people died under his supervision, within a company fully overseen by the Lisbon City Council.”
“This report shows that various services failed, and this responsibility must be acknowledged. Maintenance failed, and inspection failed, because the supposedly broken steel cable still had 263 days of validity,” the leader told journalists in Serra da Lousã, in the interior of Coimbra district.
During a visit this afternoon to the locality of Cabanões, in the municipality of Lousã, which was severely affected by a fire, the president of Chega emphasized that “there must be accountability and the ability to tell people that, in a democracy, blame cannot remain unassigned.”
“We cannot view 16 deaths as insignificant. We cannot be a third-world country where 16 people die and no one is held responsible. This is the culture we were accustomed to,” stressed the leader, without calling for any resignation.
The Glória funicular in Lisbon derailed on Wednesday, causing 16 deaths and injuring 22 people, among whom were both Portuguese and foreigners of various nationalities.
The Government declared a national day of mourning on Thursday.
The Glória funicular is managed by Carris, connecting Restauradores to the São Pedro de Alcântara Garden in Bairro Alto, covering a distance of about 265 meters, and is a popular attraction for tourists.
