Rui Rocha regrets Carla Castro’s departure from the Liberal Initiative, but says he is focused on the elections

The President of the Liberal Initiative (IL), Rui Rocha, this Friday expressed regret over the departure of deputy Carla Castro from the party, but stressed that he is focused on the early legislative elections that will take place on March 10.

At the end of a visit to the Brigantia Ecopark, a scientific and technological park in Bragança, answering a question from journalists about the news published on Thursday by Público about Carla Castro’s announcement of her resignation from the party at the end of the current legislative assembly, Rui Rocha said: which “obviously regrets about all this,” but until March 10 is focused on “bringing solutions to the country.”

Previously, the IL leader explained the situation with what he said were the facts.

“Let’s look at the facts. Carla Castro demonstrated her readiness to enter the IL list a month ago. Then, faced with a specific invitation for a position between 5th and 7th place on the Lisbon lists, she decided to decline. Decide now and announce your resignation,” said Rui Rocha.

In the January 2022 legislative elections, Carla Castro finished second on the Lisbon constituency list, just behind former leader João Cotrim Figueiredo.

When asked whether he understood Carla Castro’s departure also taking into account the position proposed to her on the list of candidates, Rui Rocha replied that he does not comment on decisions made.

“People will know about their decisions. I must know about my mission, my responsibility and my goal,” said the party chairman, adding that “there have been no recent conversations” with the deputy yet.

At the succession congress of João Cotrim Figueiredo, who elected Rui Rocha almost a year ago, the new leader’s L list received 51.7% of the votes, while Carla Castro’s M list received 44% of the votes and José Cardoso’s A list received 4 .3% of votes. votes.

Carla Castro’s departure from the party comes after former IL leadership candidate José Cardoso also announced his resignation from the IL in early January, which he accused of disrespecting its principles and considering it a “fraud set up” to prevent changes to the July Constitutional Convention.