Chega’s leader joined the party’s candidate for the presidency of Albufeira’s Municipal Chamber, deputy Rui Cristina, during a visit to the Caliços Municipal Market as part of the campaign for the local elections on the 12th. Also present were the parliamentary leader and candidate for Faro, Pedro Pinto, and the district leader and candidate for Portimão, João Paulo Graça.
An opportunity arose at one of the fruit stands to make an analogy with national politics.
“We will have to open it up to see, I hope that on the 12th they are left with a big melon and I can offer them a big melon. Especially the PS and the PSD, I think they will be left with a big melon. We will have a big weight on the scales, which is to govern the country,” he declared cheerfully.
André Ventura expressed to reporters the “incredible popular support felt, the unbelievable energy experienced, and the great enthusiasm sensed” in the Algarve, which is “one of the party’s major focuses.”
“I am truly convinced that this will be one of the places to celebrate on the 12th and that we are going to achieve a great victory here,” he stated.
Ventura also mentioned that he wants to show the country that Chega “is capable of governing a municipality” and does not “fear this challenge.”
During the occasion, the Chega leader referred to the Porto Criminal Instruction Court’s decision to release suspects accused of assaulting a couple in a supermarket in Valongo, Porto district.
André Ventura criticized the decision and announced that the party will propose in parliament that in “cases of barbarity, cruelty, where the outcome is physical harm, severe physical integrity damage, the norm should be preventive detention, not remaining free.”
“I know there is a separation of powers, I know everyone has to do their job. If we truly want to solve the security issue, one of the points is that in some of the country’s courts, those who have to enforce the law understand that letting individuals who barbarically almost killed another person and left them disfigured during a group attack is not a good sign of justice, not a good sign of wanting to address security problems,” he argued.
When asked if there are “bad judges” in Portugal, Ventura replied: “I wouldn’t say that, I would say there is a culture in Portugal that allows this impunity,” stating those committing these crimes “have no motivation not to repeat them.”
Upon arriving at the market, the Chega leader was met by many young people, some not yet of voting age, wanting to take a picture. Some even skipped classes to see him and asked for André Ventura to record a video to show at school to justify their absence.
The Chega leader complied with the requests, confirming in the videos that the youths were there for a campaign action, but he emphasized the importance of attending school.
“Attending classes is important. I am who I am because I went to classes,” he told one of them.
Before heading to Faro, there was also a visit to the campaign bus, decorated with the candidate and the president’s photos. At the end, Ventura gave a brief speech to those present, but the candidate did not speak.
