During the presentation of the book “Gouveia e Melo: As razões” (Porto Editora) in Lisbon, based on an interview with journalist Valentina Marcelo, Gouveia e Melo stated, “There are candidacies that claim they are non-partisan but then use all the party’s billboards.”
He challenged, “Ask the right questions, why am I the only one being questioned? Start asking: if they don’t have party support, how do they have the party’s billboards?”
Gouveia e Melo continued, noting that this question leads to other inquiries aimed at allegedly independent candidacies, such as “Why are they using the party’s car and driver if they are so independent and have no party support?”
He distinguished what he calls “support or a voting indication” from party leaders or personalities from “support of the party structure itself,” citing examples like using party databases for emails.
He remarked, “Why am I being scrutinized? If full scrutiny is desired, I am open to it. Otherwise, the scrutiny is what the law requires and I’m absolutely sure I’m complying with the law because I’m extremely careful about it.”
The presidential candidate questioned following journalist Valentina Marcelino’s comment that Gouveia e Melo is easy to interview due to his “calm, organized, systematized thinking,” noting some canned responses, like when asked about campaign financing.
She recalled his response, “The information will be filed with the Constitutional Court, as required,” with Gouveia e Melo asking people to imagine exposing all campaign financiers during the campaign period.
He said, “It’s not good for us or for those people. As long as the law is followed, which I am doing, I hope other campaigns are too. Since I don’t doubt others are complying, I don’t question them.”
However, he indicated his willingness to disclose everything if other candidacies agree to do the same. “But that’s when everyone wants to show everything,” he said.
He also recalled a visit to the National Museum of Resistance and Freedom at the Peniche fortress, a former Estado Novo prison, expressing being “very impressed” by the cells where political prisoners, including Álvaro Cunhal, were held.
He pledged, “One certainty I have from that experience is that I never want Portugal to return to such a system. As long as I am alive and able to fight, I will do everything to prevent it.”
Later, asked about his stance toward a Chega government, Gouveia e Melo stated that he respects the Constitution, adding, “If a right or left-wing party is elected and has the conditions to govern, it will govern.”
He added, “What I can say is that if I give office to a government X or Y, it doesn’t matter to me; I will be very vigilant regarding the regular functioning of democratic institutions and the defense of democracy, as that’s what the President must do.”
Gouveia e Melo also expressed confidence that his coordination of the COVID-19 vaccination process “can be replicated on a larger scale,” convinced he can “mobilize the country for change.”
He concluded, “I am not against anyone, any faction, or any party. I am not against parties but for the whole.”
