The brief encounter occurred shortly after André Ventura arrived at the institutional pavilion of Ovibeja in Beja. The two exchanged greetings, with Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, who had arrived before Ventura, mentioning that he was concluding his visit and inviting the leader of Chega to feel free.
“On the 18th, I hope it will be the President calling me and not the other way around,” Ventura stated during the brief interaction, which took place just before the official campaign period for the May 18 legislative elections began.
Speaking to journalists after this exchange, Ventura clarified, “I hope that on May 18 he contacts me to ask me to lead the next Government in Portugal.” He added, “I hope to win the May 18 elections.”
During his approximately one-hour visit to Ovibeja, Ventura toured three pavilions, accompanied by the head of the list for the Beja district, former PSD member Rui Cristina, who previously led the list for Évora in the last legislative elections.
Ventura was frequently approached by individuals wanting to greet him and take photos. He asked them for “an opportunity” to govern.
“Currently, there are only two solutions: either repeat the AD Government, keeping the same approach as the Socialist Party government, or offer an alternative, and I ask for an opportunity to lead that alternative,” he stated to journalists, emphasizing that he would not “fail as PS and PSD have.”
Amidst a crowd of farmers and livestock producers, Ventura also committed to “valuing the rural world.”
Regarding the electoral campaign, officially starting on Sunday and yet to be fully disclosed, Chega’s president expressed the desire for a “very street-oriented, very close” campaign with the people, aiming to visit all 18 districts of the country.
[Updated at 19:35]
