The opposition leader, André Ventura, advocated on Wednesday for a Constitution that safeguards justice, emphasizes separation of powers, and insisted that this area must be scrutinized “democratically” while also having the ability to act “without political influence.” “This is a regime change,” he declared.
During an interview on RTP3’s ‘Grande Entrevista’, Ventura claimed that the Portuguese justice system is “susceptible to attacks from bad-faith political powers,” citing former Prime Minister José Sócrates as an example.
“We saw that in the case of José Sócrates and with the Procurator-General. The Casa Pia case is evident, as intercepts revealed António Costa discussing meetings with [Eduardo] Ferro Rodrigues about meetings with a Public Ministry official or a particular judge. This is the absolute decay of the regime,” he stated.
Using this example, Ventura expressed that it is not necessarily interference itself that is seen, but rather the “attempts by politicians who know it is easy or possible to interfere with the justice process.”
I can become prime minister, president, whatever: corruption must end in Portugal and criminals must go to jail. I will remain exactly the same.
Apart from the desired regime change, Ventura, now as the opposition leader, was also discussed. Asked about the situation, he stated he would perform “responsibly, without losing the DNA of [Chega].”
“There is a different style of opposition. I will not follow Pedro Nuno Santos’s strategies, which change stance. This is the person they voted for to be the opposition leader,” he assured.
When questioned about becoming more moderate, Ventura defended the need to end state-provided subsidies, a topic he has frequently discussed since Chega’s inception. “I said [today] that corruption must end and criminals must be jailed, a sentiment I’ve always expressed. And I will continue to say it. I can be prime minister, president, whatever: corruption must end in Portugal and criminals must go to jail. I will remain exactly the same,” he replied.
I only care about the credibility from one entity: the Portuguese people
Ventura also addressed the legislative election results, highlighting the end of bipartisanship and affirmed that “Chega doesn’t need institutional credibility; Chega gains credibility from the Portuguese people.”
“With all due respect, I don’t care if RTP [and other media], the Ombudsman, or the Constitutional Court give us credibility or not. I only care about the credibility from one entity: the Portuguese people,” he stated when questioned about credibility.
A debut marked by “betrayal”?
Ventura also spoke about the elections for the Assembly of the Republic’s bodies, held on Wednesday, marked by the ‘failure’ of two Chega deputies in the election.
Ventura mentioned “betrayal,” and the Social Democratic Party questioned “from where,” assuring no breach of any agreement, and suggested that it was due to votes from Chega’s own ranks that the deputies in question were not elected, including Diogo Pacheco de Amorim, former Vice-President of the Assembly in the previous legislature.
At the first bend, the PSD betrays Chega and blocks its candidates. Mathematics does not lie.
“Responsibility was needed, and Chega responded positively,” he assured, stating the party contributed to electing José-Pedro Aguiar-Branco in what was the second-largest vote in Parliament’s history. “At the first bend, the PSD betrays Chega and blocks its candidates. Mathematics does not lie,” he accused again.
Recall that Pacheco de Amorim admitted in an interview with Observador on Wednesday that Chega deputies might have blocked his election. Confronted with the situation, Ventura retorted: “Even if— and this is what Pacheco de Amorim meant—one, two, or three Chega members disagreed with the choice, mathematics doesn’t lie. PS indicated to vote for our candidates, PSD also indicated this. 89 or 91 plus 58 doesn’t make 113 or 115. It means PS or PSD betrayed us at the first opportunity.”
Admitting that, however, the parties may not have selected the names in question from the three presented by Chega, Ventura reminded that the only ones who received a ‘red light’ were from Chega.
About the meeting with Chega’s parliamentary group held today, Ventura said he was “considering” the names he would present once again and was waiting for both PSD and PS to “explain this betrayal, or I will not let it be seen as anything but betrayal.”
