“There are two important dates in Portuguese democracy, April 25 and November 25. They are not exactly on the same level, April 25 is above November 25, but both are important,” he stated.
Luís Marques Mendes spoke to journalists after a visit to the Dona Ajuda social shop in Lisbon.
The presidential candidate noted that April 25 “is the founding date of Portuguese democracy.”
“It is a great date, a great moment. It is not comparable to any other, nor can it be replaced by any other,” he said.
Marques Mendes highlighted that “November 25 was also important because, without November 25, we wouldn’t have returned to the purity of the principles and democracy that April 25 brought.”
“And November 25 prevented us from leaving one dictatorship and falling into another dictatorship,” he emphasized.
On the occasion, the candidate refused to comment on the remarks made by April Captain Vasco Lourenço, who said the government should be ashamed of creating a “facade” committee for November 25, which he described as a “farce.”
“I will not comment on statements, from anyone, on this matter, because there are already so many people creating rifts in Portuguese society, and I want to converge, not diverge,” he stated.
Marques Mendes also called for more tolerance regarding this issue.
“I do not subscribe to this intolerance of always speaking negatively about everything. In this matter, there are two important dates. One is more important than the other. There is a founding date of democracy, April 25, which no one can replace, but November 25 also prevented us from falling into a dictatorship opposite to the one we had,” he noted.
He questioned, “What is the problem of commemorating November 25?”
“I celebrate April 25 with great pleasure and will also celebrate November 25 with full conviction,” indicated the candidate.
