“I could say that the immigrants are all against André Ventura and against this candidacy. It is not true. They are with us, the ones who are legal, who want rules, who know that the country needs rules. And this here today in Amadora was evident,” Ventura stated to journalists outside the shopping center in Amadora, before being approached by three immigrants.
The three individuals, from Cape Verde, Brazil, and Pakistan, requested that the presidential candidate be more restrained in his statements about immigrants, with the Chega leader underscoring the necessity for those arriving in Portugal, “whether they are from Cape Verde, Brazil, Bangladesh, or Nepal,” to adhere to rules.
“Those who come to comply want rules, conditions, and want to know that there is a future for the country and not a completely disorganized country, a country entirely in disarray,” he argued.
Ventura expressed condemnation for “those who come illegally,” as well as “those who exploit” these immigrants, whether they are “authorities, politicians, or businesspeople.”
“We are not afraid to come here. They [immigrants] know that we want rules for everyone. We are against those who exploit, we are against them coming illegally and, to come, they must be legal, and we are against those who exploit. We are also against those who come to live off subsidies. Therefore, people understand this clarity of message,” he emphasized.
“I think they themselves, the ones who come, work, have their shops, their jobs, they are the first to say, ‘I want those who come to have to comply with rules, to comply with the law and not come to live on subsidies,'” he concluded.
Before the encounters outside Babilónia, where on Friday two people with orders to leave the Schengen area were identified in a PSP operation, Ventura was approached by various immigrants, supporters of his candidacy, during his visit to local commerce in Amadora, expressing doubt that other colleagues in Europe would visit a “zone” like the one he visited and receive the same welcome.
“It is not the immigrants who are against us, it is those who are illegal, those without documents who are against us,” he reiterated.
The presidential elections are scheduled for January 18, 2026.
This marks the 12th occasion (including both rounds of the 1986 elections) since 1976 that the Portuguese people are being called to democratically elect the President of the Republic.
In addition to André Ventura (supported by Chega), other candidates who have announced their presidential bids include António Filipe (backed by the PCP), António José Seguro (supported by the PS), Catarina Martins (backed by BE), João Cotrim Figueiredo (supported by Iniciativa Liberal), Jorge Pinto (backed by Livre), Luís Marques Mendes (supported by the PSD), and Henrique Gouveia e Melo.
According to the candidacy portal from the Ministry of Internal Administration, there are 31 more citizens gathering signatures for a presidential run.
