The national caravan of Chega concluded the day in Torres Vedras, Lisbon district, marking the last of five campaign initiatives for the upcoming local elections on Sunday.
Party leader André Ventura accompanied the party’s candidate and deputy, Felicidade Vital, in a walkabout that commenced near the Teatro-Cine of Torres Vedras.
During the first stop, the party leader and candidate toasted with a traditional regional drink to celebrate a victory.
“We are going to win this, André, you’ll be without me,” predicted the candidate, with André Ventura responding that losing some deputies to local government “will be one of those good problems.”
Before the toast, Ventura expressed concern about the alcoholic content of the ‘cup’, but the candidate reassured him, saying, “it’s like sangria.”
“It’s good, it’s good, not very alcoholic,” commented Ventura after tasting it.
The party leader explained that in Chega, “now we only toast to victory,” and joking about the candidate’s name, he remarked that winning the Torres Vedras council “will be a happiness.”
The caravan moved along with chants of “Chega, Chega,” “victory, victory,” and “Ventura, friend, the people are with you,” while the leader, who was the main focus, distributed greetings and posed for photographs.
“André is a star,” commented Felicidade Vital.
While in Torres Vedras, it was mandatory to try the custard bean pastries, and upon taking a bite of one of these sweets, the Chega president joked that that’s what he wants to do to the PS and PSD on Sunday.
“We’ll even eat them,” he said.
Speaking to journalists, André Ventura reiterated his ambition to win “many councils,” but again did not quantify the target.
“I truly feel that we’re going to have a great national result. Whether it will be 30, 40, 50, or 60 is up to the Portuguese people to decide. I absolutely trust, 100% in the Portuguese people, and I will trust them in these elections as well,” he added.
Ventura also stated that Chega “only plays to win,” and hopes for “great victories” in the municipalities of Torres Vedras, Cadaval, Sintra, Loures, and Lisbon.
Referring to the results of the parliamentary elections in May, where Chega became the second-largest political force, the leader highlighted that the party is now in the “champions of politics.”
“I want all these local leaders to be the champions league team players in politics,” he said.
The Chega leader expressed that the challenge in these local elections is “to govern without corruption” at the local level.
“I think this will convince many people that Chega will do things differently,” he argued, calling for “a vote of confidence.”
The Torres Vedras Municipal Council has been led since 2001 by Laura Rodrigues of the PS, who is running for re-election in the upcoming local elections on Sunday.
