Albuquerque says he’s ‘quite capable’ of running in special election

The outgoing president of the Madeira government and leader of the regional PSD, Miguel Albuquerque, said this Friday that he feels “quite capable” of standing in the elections if the head of state dissolves the Legislative Assembly.

“I feel fully capable of standing in the elections, if they take place, and solving the problems of Madeira,” he said, and then confirmed: “I have a clear conscience, I fully exercise all my civil and political rights, no, I am not reduced to no, and I will continue to do my job.”

Miguel Albuquerque was speaking as part of a visit to a company based in the Ribeira Brava business park in western Madeira, his first event on an agenda previously announced to the media since January 24, when he was charged. in the process of investigating suspicions of corruption, which led to the dismissal of the head of the SDP/SDS-PP.

“It was a necessary pause to calm the situation,” he explained to reporters, emphasizing that he was now returning to “the normal management of the res publica.” “Madeira will not stop, and it will not stop being governed, and investments will not stop, because that would be fatal for the region, because we cannot be in a situation of economic regression or high unemployment,” he stressed.

Miguel Albuquerque also announced that he will take part in the electoral campaign of the Madeira Primeiro coalition (PSD/SDS-PP) for the legislative elections on March 10, taking part in the initiative this evening.

“And tomorrow morning I will go to the election campaign, because I am not going to give up my party duties,” he said. Albuquerque assured that he does not regret being removed from the posters of the Madeira First coalition, in which he was initially one of the six candidates for the circle of the autonomous region.

“I think at that time, given the situation, it was the right decision. But it’s not a problem because I’m going to participate in the campaign,” he said. The Social Democratic leader, on the other hand, played down criticism from some party members about the tight deadline for the party’s March 21 internal elections, in which he is running again.

“I will show my face. Anyone who wants to show their face, do it now. Not so that there will be mutual accusations later,” he said, stressing that activists could present lists competing with their own by Thursday.

“The electoral process is open, whoever wants to run, participates, whoever wants to protest against the protests, but then there will be party discipline, because the party must unite and face challenges,” he emphasized.

Miguel Albuquerque explained that the date chosen for the internal elections – March 21 – is strategic, given that the regional government of the PSD/CDU-PP, with the parliamentary support of the MHP, is in power until the head of state Marcelo Rebelo takes over. de Sousa, will decide whether to dissolve the Legislative Assembly, which can only happen after March 24, six months after the last regional legislative elections.

“It’s a question of responsibility. The Social Democratic Party is the leading party, it is the party that has leadership and will continue to have it. This is not a party for ego parade and whoever is waiting on the sofa is better off speaking out now because there is no excuse for not going to the polls now,” he said.

Miguel Albuquerque explained that although he admitted that he would withdraw from active political life, there was a “very obvious change in circumstances” that forced him to retreat.

“I’m here to serve Madeira, I don’t cling to power,” he said, before adding: “But one thing I don’t accept now is that, under certain circumstances, I am excluded from public life simply because it happens. be the cause of. And the main reason for the exclusion of a person from public life is the democratic decision of the voters, the residents of Madeira and Porto Santos. This is the main reason.”

And he emphasized: “The people of Madeira and Porto Santo choose and determine my future.”

However, Madeira’s chief executive said he could be heard in the trial in which he was named as a defendant.

On January 24, the Judicial Police (SP) carried out some 130 searches at home and outside, mainly in Madeira, but also in the Azores and various parts of the continent, as part of the process of investigating suspicions of active and passive actions. corruption, participation in economic activities in business, malfeasance, receiving or offering of undue advantage, abuse of power and undue influence.

As a result of this operation, the SP detained the then mayor of Funchal Pedro Calado (PSD), who had already resigned from his post, the leader of the AFA construction group Avelino Fariña and the main shareholder of the group associated with civil engineering. Sochicorreia, Custodio Correia. The three accused were released on Wednesday with identification documents and residence permits, three weeks after their arrest.