In Guarda, where he spent the day, the presidential candidate emphasized that he is “the only one with a chance to win these elections who was born in the interior of Portugal, is well-acquainted with it, has invested and has his savings invested there and, therefore, I will be the voice of an entire country.”
António José Seguro began his day with a visit to the municipal market of Guarda, where he was warmly embraced and greeted by dozens of locals who remembered “Tó Zé.”
Born in Penamacor, in the district of Castelo Branco, the now presidential candidate led the PS Federation in Guarda in the late 1990s and was elected deputy in the 1999 legislative elections.
Having stepped back from active politics over a decade ago, he remains a member of the local socialist section with the number 8,546.
“Today, my heart is full to reunite with old friends and see that people in Guarda continue to welcome me as they did when I was a deputy. It’s a day full of emotions,” he told journalists at the end of his visit to the municipal market, where he offered holiday wishes and spoke with vendors and customers.
António José Seguro stated that the interior needs “a strong voice because it has been neglected, there have been delays in many investments, and even when promises are made, they are not fulfilled.”
One example of unfulfilled promises was the situation following the 2022 fires in Serra da Estrela.
“They promised 155 million euros for this area, and how much arrived? Very little. Therefore, enough with promises, it’s necessary to focus on the interior. I know there are few votes here, but there are many Portuguese people who continue to work, resist, create wealth, and there are opportunities, intelligence, and competence,” he emphasized.
António José Seguro asserted the need to “break the centralism that distrusts these regions” and, if elected President, he intends to “give a voice to those who don’t have one” in the interior, where people “have concerns and want to be heard.”
“Today, I met many people who told me that hope was renewed when I announced my candidacy for President. I want to translate that hope into concrete actions so that Portuguese citizens can also live better in the interior of our country,” he added.
The candidate mentioned plans to promote proximity Presidencies, “Open Presidencies,” to listen to “the Portuguese and, especially, the demands needed for the interior.”
“There is so much to do here, and the solutions are clear. Therefore, it just takes courage, leadership, and someone to defend the interests of the interior,” he maintained.
António José Seguro also stated that, if elected, he plans to meet every Thursday with the Prime Minister and advocate for government development plans for the interior “linked to objectives that help retain young people, invest, and create wealth with added value, so that better salaries can also be paid.”
“I am that President who wants to be a President of the interior as well, a President of the entire country,” he summarized.
Recalling that his father owned a stationery shop in Penamacor, the presidential candidate lamented the possibility of newspaper distribution being suspended in eight districts of the interior.
“I know the importance of reading, being informed, hearing news, and giving a voice to the interior’s problems. When problems are unknown, power becomes complacent, and we have a very centralist power,” he lamented.
For António José Seguro, “a newspaper is a form of cohesion and connection among people who read the news, converse, and discuss,” thus ending its distribution would mean “removing a whole dynamic and social cohesion that exists in the interior.”
“I don’t believe this will happen and I will fight to ensure it doesn’t,” he pledged.
