Rui Rocha has leveled serious accusations against Pedro Nuno Santos, claiming there are fundamentally two ways to lose elections: with dignity and truth, or by clinging to falsehoods as a means of survival. “I believe there are two ways to lose elections: one is with dignity, speaking the truth and defending your ideas, and then accepting the democratic scrutiny of the Portuguese people. The other is to act like shipwreck survivors and cling to lies to try to survive. That’s what Pedro Nuno Santos does,” Rocha stated during his visit to the Livramento Market in Setúbal.
The leader of the Iniciativa Liberal (IL) was responding to comments made by the general secretary of the Socialist Party (PS), who, on Saturday, drew a comparison between the health policies of the Social Democratic Alternative (AD), assisted by the IL, and those of the United States, suggesting that the latter have worse outcomes than Portugal.
Rocha countered, firmly stating that the model proposed by IL bears no resemblance to American models. “It is completely false that the model IL proposes has anything to do with American models,” he asserted.
“It’s written in our program, and we’ve been advocating this vision for over five years: what we want for Portugal is what is best done in Europe, in Germany, and the Netherlands. Thus, advanced countries with good healthcare for their populations,” Rocha explained.
On the subject of health policy, Rocha stressed the need to evaluate the PS and Pedro Nuno Santos’s actions over more than eight years of governance. “Pedro Nuno Santos was responsible for ending models that work, like public-private partnerships, which were validated by the Court of Auditors and found to be beneficial for the population, the Portuguese state, and health professionals,” he criticized.
Rocha also attributed the lack of family doctors for over 1.5 million Portuguese, long waiting lists for consultations and surgeries, and closed emergency services across the country to Pedro Nuno Santos and the PS. “It is pointless for Pedro Nuno Santos to present distorted versions of IL’s proposals. What needs to be asked is whether he assumes responsibility for the damage done to Portugal’s National Health Service (SNS),” he challenged.
During his visit to the Livramento Market, Rocha received praise for his television debate performances and promises of votes, including one from a fish vendor. After Rocha mentioned the need for votes, she assuredly responded, “straight and true.” “Here, there aren’t many because we’re in a bad spot, but rest assured, around our place, you’re in the right, right, right place. Good luck,” the vendor remarked.
Further ahead, another vendor initially hid from the television cameras but invited the IL leader to her stall, which Rocha used as an opportunity to take a jab at Luís Montenegro and Spinumviva. “She was hiding there, full of shame. Let’s see if there’s nothing hidden here. No hidden customers, no undisclosed interests? Everything’s in order here,” he jested.
At another stall, one of the fish vendors complained about the lack of stability in Portugal, to which Rocha responded that it was necessary to “complain to the parties responsible for bringing political instability to the country.”
“Let me see if I remember who brought the country to political instability: look, Montenegro, Pedro Nuno Santos, Ventura, Rui Tavares, Inês Sousa Real, Paulo Raimundo…” he listed.
Engaging with various market vendors, one fish vendor approached Rui Rocha with a knife at some point, but she assured him it wasn’t intended for him, having enjoyed his television appearances. “You spoke very well, and now, may the best one win,” she said, laughing.
[News updated at 14:36]
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