Horácio Costa, a physician renowned for founding and formerly directing the Reconstructive Plastic Surgery Service at the Local Health Unit of Gaia and Espinho, has been selected to head the Health portfolio in Chega’s shadow government. Costa gained public attention in late 2023 for dressing as a Templar knight to welcome new interns at the unit.
Images shared on social media showed the doctor dressed as a Templar knight, wielding a sword, as he awaited the arrival of a medical trainee. One video captured the greeting of Merve Ierzi from Turkey, who knelt before Costa and pledged to “honor” the service. The ceremony concluded with Costa tapping her shoulders with the sword, officially declaring her an “intern of the Reconstructive Plastic Surgery Service of Gaia Hospital.”
At the time, the clinical director of the Hospital de São Francisco da Venerável Ordem Terceira de São Francisco do Porto explained that it was a “stage-performance” to welcome new doctors, held “for 10 years.” “The intern arrives, receives a welcome, I ‘knight’ interns of the service, they greet the specialists and other interns, and are embraced as a brother of the service, to ensure top-quality training and uphold the National Health Service,” he stated.
Costa further clarified that he chose that disguise due to his admiration for the Templars and their historical role in aiding the needy, though he noted he could “dress up as something else, like an Epic or Asterix.” Costa confirmed that the reception was authorized, although the unit denied this, stating they do not endorse “this type of initiative,” according to statements to Renascença.
Who else is in Chega’s shadow government?
The leader of Chega, André Ventura, announced the initial appointments for the shadow government on Thursday night during an interview with Now. Besides Horácio Costa on Health, the team includes professor and author Teresa Nogueira Pinto, who will handle Culture and Related Areas, and former head of the Veterinary Medical Association, Jorge Cid, in Agriculture.
Fernando Silva, a member of the National Election Commission, will oversee Internal Administration, while university professor Alexandre Franco de Sá takes charge of Education, Science, and Innovation, an official party source told Lusa.
On Friday, additional members joined, including MEP Tiago Moreira de Sá in Foreign Affairs, and MP Nuno Simões de Melo in Defense. Miguel Corte-Real, the party’s candidate for Porto City Hall in the October 12 municipal elections, will work on the state reform area.
Former minister Rui Gomes da Silva will manage the Justice portfolio, and professor Rui Teixeira Santos will oversee Economy and Finances.
André Ventura emphasized that many chosen individuals are independent and not party-affiliated, with an upcoming event planned to present the entire team. “I wanted to show the country that it’s possible to have a government of quality individuals willing to work independently, demonstrating that one can be capable and not directly linked to the party apparatus,” he stated.
The Chega leader highlighted that members will actively engage, scrutinizing their respective areas and developing proposals so that “people know that come election time, it’s not just a candidate, not just André Ventura—there are candidates, names, and work done in various areas.”
