Rui Rocha says Mario Centeno should step down from running Banco de Portugal after controversy

The President of the Liberal Initiative (IL), Rui Rocha, reacted this Monday to the controversy involving Mario Centeno and said that he should leave the management of Banco de Portugal.

“Mario Centeno has only one course: to relinquish control of Banco de Portugal,” he stressed.

Let’s remember that this weekend the head of the Bank of Portugal said Financial Times who was invited by Prime Minister António Costa and President of the Republic Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa to head the government. This information was later denied by the head of state, who said that he had not invited “anyone” to the audition of political parties with parliamentary representation.

This Monday, Mario Centeno confirmed that Marcelo did not invite him to take over as CEO.

Speaking to reporters, Rui Rocha took the opportunity to once again criticize the government of Antonio Costa and said that Portugal cannot continue to live in the situation in which it finds itself. “We cannot continue to live in this real swamp of degradation,” he explained.

For the IL president, the political crisis scenario shows that the outgoing prime minister does not have the opportunity to complete his term with dignity and, therefore, elections must be held as soon as possible.

“What happened shows that the country cannot be in the hands of Antonio Costa for five months. It is impossible for the prime minister to hold up the country,” he stressed.

As for waiting for elections, the Liberal justifies this by saying that “unprecedented times” require unprecedented measures.

“How can the government continue to exist in such conditions? None of this is acceptable. The Portuguese need renewed institutions with credible parties and representatives,” he concluded.