During a visit to the Crevide association facilities in Moscavide, Loures, Luís Marques Mendes commented on André Ventura’s presidential campaign posters featuring the phrases “This is not Bangladesh” and “Gypsies must obey the law,” describing them as “provocative, racist, and in very poor taste,” intended solely to provoke.
“André Ventura only wants one thing: to provoke, to gain more publicity. And in this case, I think he’s trying to provoke someone into taking him to court, so he can play the victim and the hero at the same time. I hope no one in Portugal falls into that trap of taking him to court,” he stated.
Marques Mendes argued that pursuing legal action against Ventura over these posters is “playing Chega’s game, and enough of playing that game,” urging instead a focus on “positive things happening in Portugal and those that need to be done,” while understanding why “people are outraged.”
The presidential candidate supported by the PSD also commented, “André Ventura doesn’t know how to build anything positive” and reiterated that he will never be head of state.
“He basically only knows how to do two things. He only knows how to use tavern language. That’s what he did when he talked about the three Salazars. Or he knows how to have provocative posters and actions. To try to get more publicity. Attention to one thing: someone who acts this way, with tavern language and provocative attitudes, will never be President of the Republic,” he asserted.
Marques Mendes also recalled the precautionary measure by the PSD leader and Prime Minister, Luís Montenegro, against Chega’s posters in the last legislative elections, where the social democrat lost the case, suggesting that “one should learn from that mistake.”
The posters, recently placed across the country, have been widely criticized, and eight Roma associations have announced they will file a complaint with the Public Prosecution and are considering a precautionary measure to have them removed.
The PS also urged the Public Prosecution’s intervention to apply potential sanctions concerning the posters.
The presidential candidate and Chega leader, André Ventura, refused today to remove the posters referencing the Roma community and Bangladesh, defending that it concerns his freedom of expression.
Luís Marques Mendes was also asked about the agreement between PSD and Chega to approve the revision of the nationality law but chose not to comment, postponing a position on the matter until after the parliamentary vote.
At the end of August, during the dinner-conference of the 21st edition of the PSD Summer University, Marques Mendes called for the nationality law to be approved with “a broad majority” that includes the PS, advocating that moderation “is the path to success.”
Updated at 18:14
