The Portuguese state must adopt a firm stance regarding the tragedy occurring to the Palestinian people at the hands of the Zionist state of Israel. Portugal should have long departed from a “true list of shame,” referring to countries that have yet to recognize the State of Palestine, expressed António Filipe at a gathering outside the former PIDE headquarters in Porto, drawing several hundred attendees.
António Filipe, the PCP presidential candidate, further argued for a sovereign decision by the Portuguese state, independent of influences from other countries. He insisted that recognition of the Palestinian State should have happened long ago, noting the need for further demands. “It must indeed demand more. Demand an immediate end to the genocide against the Palestinian people!” he emphasized.
The former communist deputy described his campaign as one refusing deceit and demagoguery, committed to staunchly combating reactionary, fascist, xenophobic, racist, homophobic, and discriminatory ideologies.
According to António Filipe, the President of the Republic should not accept the degradation of working conditions leading to poverty, the undermining of the National Health Service for private business interests, situations where pregnant women give birth in ambulances due to closed emergency departments, and deaths from lack of timely medical assistance.
The candidate also decried the reality where qualified young individuals must emigrate due to the lack of suitable job opportunities in Portugal, the shortage of teachers in public schools, limited availability of preschool places, and workers’ pension contributions being risked in private pension funds.
António Filipe criticised unnamed rival candidacies, asserting that those promoting consensus and moderation aim to maintain the status quo and align fundamentally with powerful economic interests, failing to assure a constitutional exercise of presidential functions or advocate for democracy and counter reactionary forces.
“Many democrats regretted the absence of a unifying candidacy to fight for an alternative to our current condition, one that rekindles hope and opens new future horizons. That candidacy is now here. This is why I am here,” he declared.
