The leader of Chega, André Ventura, dismissed on Monday a video featuring deputy Pedro Frazão broadcasted at the III Congress of the supremacist group Reconquista, also denying any link with the party.
“Deputy Pedro Frazão sent a greeting video to a movement as he does to hundreds of other movements and was not present [at the Congress] as vice-president of Chega. He did not send it as vice-president of Chega. He sent it in a personal capacity,” he stated to journalists at the party’s headquarters in Lisbon.
André Ventura further emphasized that “Chega was not present at that movement, Chega has its own identity and strength, which is indisputable and well known across the country regarding these matters.”
When asked if he partly agreed with the movement’s stances, the far-right leader continued: “It’s not a question of agreeing partly. Chega has its own identity, its own ideas, and if others agree with Chega’s ideas, we must ask others if they agree with Chega. It’s not Chega or the opposition leader’s duty to agree with others; it’s others who must agree with Chega.”
The party leader highlighted that “Chega firmly advocates for a country with less immigration, upholding its values rooted in Christian values, gender equality, which is a decisive and fundamental point, fighting against corruption, and expelling illegal immigrants.”
“As with all movements in Portugal, whatever they may be—civic, social, economic—there are points of convergence and divergence. There are points of approach and points of departure. If there is a movement that, despite having ideas far from ours—and it does, in this case—but says less immigration is necessary, I agree with that,” he noted.
André Ventura also remarked that “there can be points of convergence between parties and movements,” but this “does not mean there is identification.”
It is noteworthy that the vice-president of Chega, Pedro Frazão, sent a supportive message to the supremacist group Reconquista, which was played during the movement’s III Congress on Saturday.
The deputy even stated that the party led by André Ventura is an “ally” of that movement, which is openly against the presence of immigrants in Portugal and opposes the rights of women and the LGBTQ+ community.
“It is with great honor that I send this message to the Reconquista Congress, which I know to be one of the homes of Christian patriotic right in Portugal. […] I deeply believe that politics should be born from our faith, love for the homeland, and duty towards our Portuguese people. That is why I salute you and your work, knowing you give voice to these values with much courage and conviction,” Pedro Frazão stated in the message projected at the meeting.
The vice-president of Chega mentioned that “we are living in times of moral confusion, where pluralism tries every day to erase our roots,” while also pointing out the numerous challenges, the greatest of which is “ensuring the future of our people through remigration,” which he deemed as “the only policy capable of restoring order, security, and hope in our country.”
The vice-president of Chega, Pedro Frazão, sent a supportive message to the supremacist group Reconquista, which was played during the movement’s III Congress on Saturday. In the footage, the deputy declared the party led by André Ventura as an “ally” of that group.
Daniela Filipe | 09:33 – 10/11/2025
It’s worth noting that the Reconquista group’s event lost its venue after the person responsible for the Luso-French College’s auditorium in Porto realized it was a “political event, not respecting the regulations in force.” Furthermore, it was against what “was contractually agreed upon” with the organizers, as the group had described the congress as a “cultural event.”
However, the meeting eventually took place at Clube Maia Sport, which justified on Sunday, working “in several areas, including partnerships with corporate events.”
“Last Saturday, we hosted an event organized by a political movement. As it was the first of its kind, we want to clarify that our political convictions (which are varied) are not an important factor in authorizing such events but rather the legality possessed by the promoters,” the club stated in a communication released on social networks.
It’s also recalled that last year, the Reconquista group rented the headquarters of the Lisbon Municipal Assembly (AML) to hold its congress, with the municipal body clarifying that the group had presented itself as a “collective of young people” associated with the Chega party.
The proposal, which was said to have been “submitted by an individual – a lady whose name raised no alarm,” aimed to conduct a “series of speeches on current affairs, the press, and European society and culture,” some given by “prominent figures from the national and international scene.”
The president of Reconquista denied the accusations, claiming that the AML realized it was a mistake to approve the event and, […] to legitimize itself to the public, used the justification that they understood [the group was] directly [associated], or that [it was] part of Chega.”
The proposal, which was said to have been “submitted by an individual – a lady whose name raised no alarm,” aimed to conduct a “series of speeches on current affairs, the press, and European society and culture.”
Daniela Filipe | 15:32 – 15/11/2024
