“I came to unite and I need to unite the best that our country has, which are the people. It takes a President who knows how to listen and mobilize. Unity is essential for Portugal to ambitiously resolve its problems”, stated António José Seguro in Faro.
The candidate for the Presidency of the Republic made these remarks to journalists on the sidelines of a visit to the Municipal Market of Faro, the district where he started a nationwide tour under the theme “The future is built with everyone,” to gather opinions and engage with the Portuguese people.
António José Seguro explained that the one-month tour across Portugal aims to “listen to the Portuguese, as they have many concerns and issues, and to demonstrate that there is a candidate, a person who wants to serve the country in the Presidency of the Republic and who wants to always be by the side of the Portuguese people.”
“This is not just a pre-campaign initiative. It is an effort I wish to maintain from the Presidency. I mentioned at the launch of my candidacy that I would frequently and whenever necessary listen to the Council of State, but I also want to hear the people’s counsel at all times,” he added.
The candidate and former Secretary-General of the PS emphasized that his role is “not just to be a President who stays locked in a palace, but to be with the people, listening to them, and able to inspire them as well.”
The country, he said, needs a “vision,” asserting that his vision is for Portugal “to be a country of excellence and justice.”
“For that vision, we all need to contribute. It is essential to harness what the Portuguese do best, and they have countless fantastic qualities,” he highlighted.
When asked about André Ventura’s statements, who claimed Portugal needed “three Salazars,” Seguro replied, “If one already caused the delay it did, imagine with three what the delay would be.”
“The country does not need dictators; it needs democratic, efficient, transparent institutions that fight corruption,” he noted.
The presidential candidate revealed he chose to start the tour in the Algarve because “95 percent of the territory is composed of sea, hence the need to know it better.”
“We need to understand it well and exploit it better because there is a huge opportunity for wealth creation and jobs of higher quality and, above all, better remuneration,” he concluded.
In the Algarve, Seguro will meet with local officials in São Brás de Alportel, where he will also participate in an initiative titled “Conversation with the Future — Territorial Cohesion and Interior Development.”
The former Secretary-General of the PS will then proceed to Olhão, where he will attend the opening session of the academic year at the senior university.
Also in Olhão, Seguro will visit an algae processing unit for cosmetic and food purposes and return to Faro to meet with representatives of the Culatra Island Association, concluding the day with a visit to the Santa Iria Fair.
