In a speech concluding the presentation of Miguel Corte-Real’s candidacy for the Porto City Council, André Ventura seized on a report to criticize Mário Centeno.
It was reported that Álvaro Novo, the current director of the support office to the Governor of the Bank of Portugal (BdP), had his contract renewed in the same week that Mário Centeno’s term ended.
Moreover, the report highlighted that this was not the only decision taken; Rita Poiares was promoted to deputy director of the Department of Statistics following the resignation of Luís Teles Dias, effective from October 1, more than two months ahead of schedule.
“Mário Centeno will likely leave the Bank of Portugal tomorrow [Thursday], the very same who was the Minister of Finance and then became the governor of an independent entity called the Bank of Portugal. Look at that independence. He stayed there by the hand of PS and remained there with the PSD government,” André Ventura began.
He continued, “Do you know what Mário Centeno was concerned about doing yesterday and today [Tuesday]? It wasn’t making any decision to benefit the Portuguese economy or releasing a study on corruption in Portugal, or on salaries or pensions. He was busy reappointing his chief of staff, securing his salary for the coming years in this country and even promoting the wife of a former PS Secretary of State.”
Emphasizing that this is “not the propaganda or ideas of Chega,” he declared that this is “how the men” of the country govern.
“When the end is near, you are not their concern. Their only concern is ensuring that their friends, whether it’s their father, mother, or brother, continue to receive a salary paid with our taxes,” continued the leader of Chega.
André Ventura argued that the country needs “a great national revolt for decency.”
