Joacine Katar Moreira commented on Friday on the controversy surrounding Chega deputy Filipe Melo, who told Socialist Eva Cruzeiro to return to her “own land.” The former independent deputy remarked that “the fault lies with many, and one of them is the inaction in previous situations.”
It is notable that the former deputy’s time in Parliament, elected through the Livre party in the October 2019 legislative elections (later becoming an independent deputy), was marked by her challenge to discussions on representation, racism, diversity, and sexism.
“What Deputy Eva Cruzeiro has experienced inside and outside AR is something no one should endure, no matter how strong they are or how capable they manage to handle such racism and vulgarity,” stated Joacine Katar Moreira in a social media post, emphasizing that “the fault lies with many, and one of them is the inaction in previous situations.”
“That said, I am proud of her stance and her ability to face challenges, and I wish her a long and powerful journey as a politician in Portugal,” she concluded.
On Wednesday, during a joint hearing of the Committees on Culture, Communication, Youth and Sports, and the Budget, Finance, and Public Administration, deputy Filipe Melo told deputy Eva Cruzeiro to “go back to your land” while she was speaking.
“I am in my land, distinguished deputy, this is our land!” replied the deputy.
On social media, Eva Cruzeiro highlighted that “Portugal has no owners” and that Chega “does not represent the majority of the Portuguese people.”
“CHEGA and its deputies will eventually learn the obvious: I am in my land. In our land! A country where 77 percent of voters did not vote for them in the legislative elections and 88 percent rejected them in the local elections. In both elections, the Socialist Party received more votes. In the latter, almost three times as many,” she began writing.
“Portugal has no owners. It belongs to all of us. People of various races, ages, religions, and ideas. We are a plural democracy. Those who have not yet understood this need to learn. And we, with patience, firmness, and calm, will be here to ensure they learn,” Eva Cruzeiro further argued.
O CHEGA e os seus deputados acabarão por aprender o óbvio: eu estou na minha terra. Na nossa terra!
Um país onde 77 por cento dos eleitores não votaram neles nas legislativas e 88 por cento os rejeitaram nas autárquicas. Em ambas as eleições o Partido Socialista teve mais votos.…
— Eva Cruzeiro (@EvaCruzeiro) October 30, 2025
Livre Calls for Filipe Melo’s Suspension from the Assembly: “There Are No Conditions”
On Friday, Livre called for the suspension of the Chega deputy from the Assembly’s bureau for shouting “go back to your land” at the Socialist deputy.
In statements to journalists in parliament, Isabel Mendes Lopes, the parliamentary leader of Livre, stated that “there are no conditions” for Filipe Melo to continue on the Assembly of the Republic’s bureau, and José Pedro Aguiar-Branco should assess what she describes as an “unsustainable situation.”
According to the deputy, Filipe Melo is someone “absolutely reprehensible in his behavior,” with an attitude “unworthy of the parliament,” and “both the president of the Assembly of the Republic and all other parliamentary groups must make it clear to Chega that this deputy should not be on the Assembly of the Republic’s bureau.”
“A deputy was attacked by a Chega deputy with one of the most racist phrases that can be uttered,” said Isabel Mendes Lopes, adding that this was yet another episode revealing the lack of respect from André Ventura’s party towards the Assembly of the Republic.
In September, it is worth recalling, the same deputy was the subject of a complaint from Socialist Isabel Moreira for making “disrespectful gestures, namely blowing kisses,” which led the president of the Assembly of the Republic, Aguiar-Branco, to request an investigation by the transparency committee for potential “serious irregularities” by the bureau secretary.
