“I see it as revealing significant political immaturity on the part of this candidate,” stated António José Seguro when prompted by journalists to comment on the controversy involving the presidential candidate Henrique Gouveia e Melo.
On Sunday, it was reported that Admiral Gouveia e Melo only decided to run for the presidency after reading a report in Expresso that Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa intended to block his candidacy by reappointing him as head of the Navy.
Despite repeated questioning, Seguro declined to comment further on the matter, emphasizing that he was at the University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro, in Vila Real, to “focus on Portugal’s future.”
The presidential candidate Henrique Gouveia e Melo accuses the news agency Lusa of publishing a false report regarding the motivation behind his candidacy. The news agency denies the allegations. Meanwhile, the admiral has pre-published the relevant pages.
Carolina Pereira Soares | 19:22 – 10/11/2025
“To talk to young people, to create a country with more opportunities, better jobs, so that the young graduates from our universities wouldn’t have to leave the country. I want to work towards the future, to unite, to gather, and above all, to make Portugal a country of excellence and justice,” said the presidential candidate.
When also questioned about labor law, António José Seguro highlighted that he is a candidate for President of the Republic.
“There is a party debate in which I do not get involved,” he stressed.
The University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro recently had its Medicine course approved.
For António José Seguro, this approval is “a great joy for the people from Trás-os-Montes, but also for those who defend the interior as a national resource.”
“Many people think of the interior as a burden; that is not my view. I was born and raised in the interior, have my investments there, and I know well how this news, besides being well received, is an essential tool for development, for attracting more people, and for contributing to the many already significant contributions the university has made to the region and the country,” he emphasized.
During this visit, Seguro was accompanied by his representative for the Vila Real district, Teresa Albuquerque, president of the board of directors at the Fundação da Casa de Mateus.
“It makes me very happy and honored because she is a figure closely linked to heritage, development, and the future of the region as a cultural leader while also preserving one of the most iconic activities of this region, winemaking. She is someone from outside politics, which is an enormous joy for me because my candidacy comes from the grassroots, mobilizing the best the country has to offer,” stated the former PS leader.
The presidential elections are scheduled for January 18.
