The leader of the Chega party declared, “We must do differently than what has been done in the past 50 years; it can’t be just talk. We need to clean up the system as we promised, eliminate corruption as we promised, and rid the country of those who believe they own it, whether minorities or not. This country belongs to the Portuguese people, it’s ours, and we will only accept that.”
The Chega party president participated in a street rally in Quinta do Conde, Sesimbra, one of the most attended events in the municipal campaign so far. He was accompanied by Nuno Gabriel, the candidate for the presidency of Setúbal’s municipality.
Speaking on a stage set up by the party, André Ventura warned that “often the greatest corruption starts at the municipal level, with public works, jobs for family and friends, or employing those we know even if they lack merit.”
“We will completely deceive the Portuguese people if, after electing mayors and parish presidents as we are asking, we do the same as others have done for 50 years. There’s no point in crying afterward. No, we really have to do differently. No one will forgive us if we don’t, and this must begin in these elections on the 12th,” he stated.
The Chega leader also assured he would “personally guarantee” that his local representatives would work, saying, “This is what a party president should do: demand that their officials work for Portugal and aren’t afraid to stand up.”
André Ventura called on voters to give Chega “an opportunity,” stating, “You will lose nothing by giving a chance to a party that truly wants to clean up and change this system.”
He asserted that the party will fight in all elections “until this system falls” and aims to reform the country on its essential basis, “which is Portugal for the Portuguese, and the Portuguese first.”
Concluding the rally with chants of “victory, victory,” Ventura thanked the party’s performance in Setúbal during the legislative elections in May, where it was the most voted in this district.
“We showed that it’s possible to defeat the left, not only to topple it but to do so in its own territory and headquarters. We defeated the PS, destroyed the PCP, demolished and ended the BE, minimized the entire left in this country because we are enormous; we are a huge party, the voice of a truly awakening Portugal,” he said.
The campaign event saw the participation of over two hundred supporters, along with party figures such as deputies Cristina Rodrigues, Patrícia Carvalho, Daniel Teixeira, and Marta Silva, who leads the list for Seixal’s municipality in the same district.
The rally began with banners reading, “The cleaning starts in Setúbal” and “Portugal without fear.” Supporters carried flags of Portugal and the party, as well as shirts, hats, and scarves with the Chega symbol.
During the roughly 20-minute walk of a few hundred meters, deputy Marta Silva led chants such as: “Those who don’t jump are communists,” “Ventura jumped, ole,” “Ventura arrived and shook the system, CDU go work because Chega came to win,” or “Sesimbra is ours and always will be, Sesimbra is ours until we die.”
Supporters chanted for Ventura but not for the candidate Nuno Gabriel, who was present and listened but did not speak.
The Chega group crossed paths with ADN’s campaign team, led by Bruno Fialho, but Ventura and Fialho did not interact.
