“I am approaching this election in two stages. There is a milestone, which is January 18, and at that point, we want to win or proceed to a second round of elections. Therefore, this means aiming for first or second place, and I think we are well-positioned for that,” he stated.
In an interview concerning the presidential elections on January 18, the candidate for Belém admitted that failing to pass to an eventual second round would be “bad and a defeat.”
“If I’m not [in the second round], it’s a sign that Chega and I did not achieve the objective in this election. If that happens, there’s no way to mask the reality, as it’s practically impossible not to reach a result close to the legislative level and not enter the second round,” he said, noting that “not reaching that value would indicate a lack of electoral support.”
“It’s a defeat. Only in Stalinist or Leninist parties do defeats become victories. There are moments of defeat and less favorable moments in political life. Acknowledging this is a democratic act,” André Ventura argued.
The candidate for President of the Republic and leader of Chega indicated that the party “will continue its path,” and he will “make the necessary assessments” of the situation.
“I will understand the signals the electorate conveys, but obviously, if I don’t proceed to the second round, it was not a positive outcome. However, I am convinced that this will not happen, and I am confident we will have a second round and that I will be part of it,” he emphasized.
Ventura considered this to be “the most difficult battle, perhaps of [his] entire life,” as he believes “everyone will unite” against him and “the whole system will converge against his candidacy.”
“I believe it is possible to win it, but it will be a very challenging fight for me and the country,” he admitted.
If Seguro reaches the second round, “the PSD will recommend a vote” for him
“Regardless of the opponent, even if it were, or came to be, António José Seguro, I am almost certain that the PSD will recommend a vote for António José Seguro, because they know I am a threat to the ‘status quo’ and a threat to the control of institutions by these two parties,” he said, anticipating a similar situation could occur with Gouveia e Melo or even António Filipe.
The candidate also expressed curiosity about what the PS would do if it came to a second round with Luís Marques Mendes: “Not that I want the PS’s support, far from it, but it’s curious to see if the PS will enter the second round advocating a vote for Marques Mendes.”
André Ventura also mentioned having no preferred opponent for the second round, but he is confident it will be Henrique Gouveia e Melo, describing himself as “the toughest opponent in the first round,” but “the easiest” to defeat in a second.
