The Mayor of Lisbon, Carlos Moedas, made his first statement on Sunday regarding the tragic Elevador da Glória accident, which resulted in 16 deaths and over 20 injuries, declaring he would resign if any political error is proven.
“If someone can prove that any action I took, something I did as mayor, in relation to this company, led to insufficient maintenance spending by this company, that this company failed to do what it had to do, I will resign on the spot,” he assured in an interview with SIC Notícias, stressing that he is not the one managing Carris.
The interview quickly sparked reactions across the political spectrum.
The leader of the Socialist Party (PS), José Luís Carneiro, accused Carlos Moedas of “dodging responsibility” regarding the Elevador da Glória accident and “choosing to insult” socialists like Alexandra Leitão, Pedro Nuno Santos, and Eurico Brilhante Dias, “even daring to offend the memory of Jorge Coelho, which no political circumstance can justify.”
Carneiro further stated that “not everything is acceptable” and that the “PS demands explanations, accountability, and respect for others” following the tragic accident.
“Anyone listening to Moedas might think he was the first victim of the accident”
Socialist Alexandra Leitão, head of the PS/Livre/BE/PAN coalition list for the upcoming Lisbon municipal elections, shared a similar opinion.
“Carlos Moedas returned to personal attacks. He doesn’t know how to do politics any other way. Anyone listening to him might think that the first victim of the tragic Elevador da Glória accident was him. It wasn’t. It was the dead, the injured, and their families. The interview he gave to SIC is an exercise in exculpation, not worthy of a political leader. It brought no answers, offered no solutions, and announced not a single measure to help the victims or restore the confidence of Lisbon residents in the city’s infrastructure,” wrote the former Minister of State Modernization and Public Administration.
Carlos Moedas voltou ao ataque pessoal. Não sabe fazer política de outra forma.
Quem o oiça acha que a primeira vítima do trágico acidente no Elevador da Glória foi ele próprio. Não foi. Foram os mortos, os feridos e as suas famílias.
A entrevista que deu à SIC é um exercício de…— Alexandra Leitão (@Alexandrarfl) September 7, 2025
Eurico Brilhante Dias said on social media, “at least save Jorge Coelho,” sharing the view that it is “intolerable, unworthy, and insulting” that Carlos Moedas refused to compare the Elevador da Glória tragedy to the collapse of the Entre-os-Rios bridge, claiming that in that case, the former socialist minister – who resigned at the time – “had received information about maintenance problems on that bridge.” This, he assured, did not happen with him concerning the lift that killed 16 and injured more than 20.
Pelo menos que se salve o Jorge Coelho. https://t.co/PzYtY6MZvH
— Eurico BRILHANTE DIAS (@BrilhanteDias) September 7, 2025
Ricardo Moreira, a councilor from the Left Bloc (BE), shared a similar sentiment on the X social network, also retweeting other comments such as: “Tell me a day when Carlos Moedas has not publicly played the victim for being criticized for the (terrible) work he did.”
Carlos Moedas chose a “calmer and more respectful” approach
Meanwhile, Assunção Cristas of the CDS-PP defended Carlos Moedas’s approach regarding the Elevador da Glória derailment.
The former Lisbon city councilor stated on SIC Notícias that the mayor “correctly opted” to be on the ground close to the people and adopted a “calmer and more respectful” tone towards the victims of the derailment.
“I would be very surprised if Carlos Moedas came here and said, ‘I’m leaving, I’m turning my back.’ I think taking responsibility is saying what he did here: ‘I will not rest until everything is properly explained,'” she stated.
The former Minister of Agriculture, Sea, Environment, and Spatial Planning argued that it is “natural and positive” for officials to feel the need to resign, also considering it positive to “indicate that together, we must find solutions.”
Assunção Cristas further noted that there will be “a lot of technical-legal discussion” about the blame and responsibilities of the tragedy. Politically, however, she argued that matters are “quite justified and clear.”
It should be recalled that before Carlos Moedas’s interview on SIC Notícias, the President of the Republic, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, had stated that the mayor has “political responsibility” for the Elevador da Glória accident but considered that it does not make sense to speak of resignation one month before municipal elections.
The Lisbon City Council is meeting this Monday, September 8, due to the Elevador da Glória derailment. It is the sole focus of this meeting convened by the mayor.
The extraordinary meeting, according to RTP, is scheduled to begin at 9:30 a.m. and will be closed to the media. Discussions are expected to cover measures to support victims and their families, as well as the investigation of causes and responsibilities.
