Former Chief of Staff Henrique Gouveia e Melo addressed journalists after visiting the Johnson Academy in the Zambujal neighborhood, Amadora, criticizing racism and xenophobia and promising to focus on tackling poverty if elected as President of the Republic.
When questioned about complaints seeking the criminalization of the Chega party, which is accused of promoting racism, he left any eventual response or decision to the justice system and the Constitutional Court judges.
From the presidential candidate’s perspective, “there is no question about Chega’s continuity”, although he highlighted his disagreement with the messages propagated by the political force.
“I condemn the message, but I don’t think it’s a reason to outlaw the party”, he considered.
He then referred to posters featuring the leader of Chega, André Ventura, with statements such as “this is not Bangladesh” or “gypsies must obey the law.”
“What lies behind these insinuations, a political statement, that’s for the Portuguese to truly assess. Portuguese people are not naive, and we should not infantilize them”, he warned.
Gouveia e Melo also questioned the dissemination of these messages by media and social networks.
“The media focus on this message makes it go viral. Perhaps we should disregard such messages. I don’t want to contribute to making this message more viral than it already is,” he asserted.
Under pressure from journalists about Chega’s posters, he admitted that “there are certain expressions that imply an idea—and that idea can be racist or xenophobic.”
Earlier, in his brief speech to members of the Johnson Academy, which supports 220 children, Gouveia e Melo emphasized the principle of equal rights among all citizens: “Sometimes, we look at people because of differences, whether their eyes are light or dark.”
“We are all equal,” he stressed. He also recounted an episode in Lithuania with Portuguese military forces during a conversation with a Lithuanian officer.
“He asked me: What are those two black people doing at the end of the room? I replied: Black? I don’t see any black, I only see green”—referring to the camouflage worn by the two marines targeted by the Lithuanian officer.
“Those two servicemen had come a long way to assist them in securing the Lithuanian-Russian border,” he concluded.
In addition to issues of racism and xenophobia, the conversation at Johnson Academy also touched on poverty and social exclusion.
The former Chief of Staff heard that some children arrive at the academy after school, in the mid-afternoon, and their snack there is their last meal.
“You can count on me. My focus will be on fighting poverty. I am here at Johnson Academy out of profound respect for your work and to give visibility to your efforts,” he justified.
During the visit, the admiral was visibly pleased to learn that seven sports, including canoeing, rowing, and sailing, are practiced at the academy. These maritime sports are considered important by the entity’s leaders to foster solidarity among young participants.
“Never give up,” Gouveia e Melo urged before leaving Johnson Academy in the Zambujal neighborhood.
