During a visit to the Agroglobal fair held at CNEMA in Santarém, the former socialist leader emphasized the critical role of agriculture in food security, territorial cohesion, and fire prevention, expressing concern over the aid to producers being “delayed and insufficient.”
“Today I spoke with farmers from Beira Baixa who were hit by a fire at the end of July and are only now being asked to apply for aid. A month and a half has passed. This cannot happen,” he stated, adding that “there are people who lost dozens of hectares and still do not know when or how they will be compensated.”
Seguro also highlighted the lack of measures to support the replacement of fences and irrigation systems, which are crucial for sustaining livestock feeding and agricultural activities.
The presidential candidate addressed public authorities, stressing that “the State must be effective in responding to people’s concrete needs.”
“I don’t know if the blame lies with those who define the policies or those who execute them, but there is an evident failure,” he remarked.
When asked about the agricultural minister’s criticisms of the European Commission, accusing it of favoring wealthier countries in the new Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), António José Seguro responded that “the responsibility of the Portuguese authorities is to fight in European forums for a CAP that defends the interests of national farmers,” preferring to focus “on solutions” rather than “pointing fingers.”
The candidate also addressed international issues, such as Russian drones in Poland and the conflict in Gaza, calling for peace and respect for human dignity.
“We live in a world where force is replacing law. Without peace, there is no life, no economy, no future,” he stated, advocating for the strengthening of international law as a tool for conflict containment.
