Through social media, Sofia Pereira responded to reports of alleged assaults by Victor Hugo Salgado against his wife. This followed the release of information that Pedro Nuno Santos, Secretary-General of the Socialist Party (PS), requested the president of the PS/Braga Federation to resign and communicated he would not support his bid for re-election as Mayor of Vizela.
“The rights and dignity of victims must unequivocally be placed above personal or political conveniences of any leader or structure. In the face of domestic violence, apathy is not acceptable,” Pereira stated.
The leader of Socialist Youth emphasized that domestic violence is a public crime, asserting that “no circumstance, whether political, institutional, or personal, can justify apathy in the face of such grave suspicions.” She argued that the case involving Victor Hugo Salgado “required a clear and consistent response with the values” upheld by the PS.
“As a woman, socialist, and political leader, I acknowledge and commend the firmness and coherence demonstrated by the PS Secretary-General, Pedro Nuno Santos, in making this decision,” she added, asserting that the leader’s firm stance was “the correct and acceptable posture given the severity of the situation.”
Sofia Pereira insisted that situations that offend the dignity of women cannot be “relativized or minimized.”
“This is not about rushing to judgment in court, but rather about understanding what we accept or condemn in politics as in life. Where do we stand when called upon to act, beyond the daily slogans?” she emphasized.
In a statement issued this afternoon, the PS voiced “its unequivocal condemnation of any form of domestic violence and expressed deep concern about the information that surfaced” regarding the Mayor of Vizela and the president of the PS District Federation of Braga.
“The Secretary-General of the Socialist Party, Pedro Nuno Santos, asked Victor Hugo Salgado to step down as president of the PS Federation of Braga. He also informed that the Socialist Party will not support his candidacy for the presidency of the Vizela Municipal Council,” the statement announced.
The Mayor of Vizela and the PS District Federation of Braga’s president, Victor Hugo Salgado, stated on Friday that reports of alleged assaults on his wife are an “attempt to manipulate private life for political purposes.”
“The public exposure of these facts [news of alleged physical assaults], unrelated to civic life or political debate, is an attempt to use private life for political combat,” the mayor and his wife said in a joint statement made accessible today.
This response came after a report that Victor Hugo Salgado, who is running for re-election as Vizela’s mayor in the Braga district, is under investigation for suspected domestic violence.
Further reports confirm that the Public Prosecutor’s Office and the GNR admit there is an ongoing inquiry against the mayor.
The reported assaults on his wife allegedly took place in February of this year, reportedly requiring medical treatment on two separate occasions within 24 hours.
The couple highlighted in their joint statement that they felt compelled to respond to the disclosure of content pertaining to their “strictly personal and family” sphere.
“We deeply lament this practice, which we consider to be an affront to individual dignity, democratic ethics, and the protection of minors,” they emphasized.
More details available at.
