Presidential candidate Henrique Gouveia e Melo today accused André Ventura of having entered into “a corruption of xenophobia and racism” that is reminiscent of the “Hitlerian system”, which used Jews as a scapegoat.
“Doctor André Ventura entered into a frenzy of xenophobia and racism, because that is the right word, which shows the intolerance that democracy should not tolerate“said the presidential candidate, who was speaking to the Lusa agency at the end of a visit to the Associação Académica de Coimbra (AAC).
For Gouveia and Melo, it is possible not to agree with an immigration with “open doors” – which he also does not agree with – without defining “by color or clothing who are the people who should stay in Portugal or not”. Asked about André Ventura’s posters aimed at specific Bangladeshi and gypsy communities, the presidential candidate considered that this type of communication “is pure and harsh racism”.
“It reminds me of the Hitlerian system that found a scapegoat, which was the Jews, at the time. And now we are trying to find another scapegoat in Portugal. The Portuguese mixed with all the people of the world, they sailed all over the world, they are a people who have a world, they are a people who have almost half of their population emigrated to other countries. Therefore, we need a bit of common sense in what we say about a certain type of matter”, he stressed.
José Fonseca Fernandes
Presidential 2026
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“It was even offensive to say that if I wanted to be President, I should be President there for Hindustan. I do not recognize in Dr André Ventura any type of patriotism superior to mine. I have been on the front line several times at risk to my life and, therefore, I do not receive messages from a gentleman who has never served, as a soldier or firefighter”, he said.
Henrique Gouveia e Melo also referred to Ventura’s position that he defended “three Salazars” for the country, questioning whether the Chega leader intends to return “to the poverty rates that existed at the time of the dictatorship” or take away freedom from citizens.
The presidential candidate considered that there is “an anti-democratic game that is beginning to take hold” as if it were normal, when it cannot be. “Democracy, which is tolerance, cannot allow intolerance. Because intolerance subverts democracy to the danger of democracy itself”, he said, advising André Ventura “to play the democratic game”.
Regarding the accusation also made by the leader of Chega that he was getting closer to the PS and the Bloco de Esquerda, Gouveia e Melo understood that if Ventura were “a little older” he could “understand the role of Doctor Mário Soares in establishing democracy in Portugal”.
“Maybe he doesn’t like Dr. Mário Soares, because he’s not truly democratic,” he said.
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