Stop demonstrating against Lula da Silva’s visit to Portugal

Chegi’s leader announced on Tuesday a demonstration against Brazilian President Lula da Silva’s visit to Portugal, calling it an “unnecessary and unjustified provocation” when he spoke at a ceremonial meeting on April 25.

At a press conference at Chega’s national headquarters, André Ventura said that a possible speech in Parliament by Brazilian President Luiz Inácio “Lula” da Silva at a formal meeting on April 25 “dishonors Portuguese democracy.”

“To do this on the day of our democracy, on a day that neither left nor right belongs to everyone, is an unnecessary provocation, it is the discovery of a hidden conflict on a day that should be a party and that should be Maximum consensus,” defended André Ventura.

Leader Chega stressed that he “never questioned the possibility of a state visit” by Lula da Silva to Portugal despite being “categorically against it” and stated that he respects the invitation made to the President of Brazil “which is an invitation of a legitimate government of Portugal.

However, Ventura considered that Lula da Silva’s speech at the April 25 ceremonial meeting would “introduce external contamination” and “conflict even within the Assembly of the Republic”, and emphasized that in this case, Chega would react sharply. “hard and frontal” way.

“We will remain where we are, but we will act accordingly, and we will give the President of Brazil what we understand by giving him the opportunity, speaking, also to say what he thinks and what he wants to say on this issue,” he stressed.

Not wanting to elaborate on the position the party would take in the plenary, Ventura only emphasized that Chega deputies would not be “pleasant or courteous”, despite admitting that this was “not what you want from a visit from the head of government” . state alien.

Thus, Chegi’s leader urged the PS to show “common sense” and that the President of the Assembly of the Republic and the conference of leaders not set Lula da Silva’s speech for April 25th.

“I don’t see who can benefit from this, not even the government itself. I think that we will all lose from this, especially on a day when the main dignitaries of the country, the main figures of the judiciary, the military apparatus, foreign guests, the diplomatic sector are present at the plenary session … And we are going to give this image to the country that we do not are,” he said.

André Ventura said that if Lula da Silva’s speech were to take place at a different meeting on April 25, he did not know if his party would attend, but if it did, “the reaction would be much calmer, and much more united.” .

Regardless of this speech, André Ventura announced at this press conference that Chega was contacting members of the Brazilian community in Portugal to organize a demonstration on the day of the Brazilian President’s speech in Parliament.

“I want to be clear: Luis Inácio “Lula” da Silva will not have an easy time in Portugal. states in Portugal by visiting Portuguese institutions,” he said.

According to André Ventura, “if necessary” Chega will put “everyone around the Assembly of the Republic that day to protest and show that politics and alliances with Lula da Silva do not respect democracy, they destroy Portuguese democracy.”

Ventura also left criticism of Marcelo Rebelo de Souza, accusing him of “trying to normalize” the Brazilian president’s behavior by “educating” former head of state Anibal Cavaca Silva for “sharply praising” Lula da Silva.

Asked by reporters how he explains that a party that wants to be in government could jeopardize diplomatic relations, Ventura replied that if Chega had been in the executive branch, Lula da Silva’s invitation “would never have happened” because the “fight against corruption” will become the “decisive element” of his “national and international” actions.

“The right that came with the growth of Chega is different from all the rights that we have had until now. I give a warning, which I hope is noticeable: (…) I hope that the SDP realizes that dealing with this presence will mean a lot for Chega’s militants, for Chega’s supporters, and maybe a lot for the country’s political future.” he challenged.