When João Cotrim de Figueiredo announced on August 13 that he was moving towards Belém, José Miguel Júdice confesses that he immediately thought: “I think I have the problem solved”. Without being satisfied with any of the right-wing candidates, Gouveia e Melo and Marques Mendes – despite recognizing that they are two “decent” men – the attorney and former PSD activist was preparing to vote for António José Seguro. But the new protagonist in the presidential race changed his decision, after a comparative exercise. In other words, the candidate supported by the PS did not fully meet his requirements, just as Cotrim admitted that he did not see himself in any of the candidates profiled.
“I decided to support it based on two criteria that are generally the criteria of life, it was determined on absolute merit and won on relative merit. I think the country has more to gain from Cotrim de Figueiredo than from any of the other putative Presidents”, he explained, in conversation with Expresso, on the sidelines of breakfast with Cotrim de Figueiredo in a hotel in Belém, overlooking the Tagus River.
The choice of location was symbolic. Close to the official residence of the head of state and looking to the future, in which both believe there is a sea of opportunities for the country with more ambition and the necessary reforms. The national leader admits, however, that he hesitated in accepting the invitation to the position, having initially tried to dissuade the presidential candidate. But, after declaring his support in the race to Belém, it was already difficult to refuse: “I had no reason not to accept, after Cotrim de Figueiredo made an additional period of reflection, at my request, to choose someone better than me”, he said.
Because “there isn’t”, interrupts Cotrim, to justify his insistence. The candidate supported by the Liberal Initiative (IL) admits that it was not the role that his national leader “desired most”, but ended up accepting after confirming the affinity and union of ideas regarding the Presidential scenario: “I thought there could be no better choice”, he argues, pointing to a “lucid man”, with a “free spirit”, who represents an “important part of the history” of the PSD. “He had many important political struggles, always on the side of what could be considered the right side of history”, he summarizes, guaranteeing that it is a great “honor” to have him as a representative.
Júdice admits voting for Seguro in the 2nd round
With the former PSD member as his representative – who left the party in 2007 when Marques Mendes was leader of the Social Democrats – the presidential candidate thus seeks to give the image of a “comprehensive” candidacy, which goes beyond the liberal electorate, as he has promised during the pre-campaign. And it hopes to capture votes from the 30% of undecided voters, identified by opinion studies, namely young people, one of its target electorates. The objective remains: to reach the second round. Even though polls show that this will be an unlikely scenario.
Asked to reveal what her contribution to the campaign will be, Júdice assumes that she will help in whatever way she can within her availability. “The agent is the guy who delivers the list, he has no other role. It’s his campaign, not mine“, he says, laughing. On Sunday, the national representative will be alongside Cotrim de Figueiredo at the official presentation of his candidacy at the Centro Cultural de Belém (CCB). On November 15th, he will be in charge of presenting the book “Because I’m Liberal – Percursos de Um Político Accidental” together with Sérgio Sousa Pinto in the cultural space of El Corte Inglés.
Regarding the expected second round, with a range of presidential candidates, José Miguel Júdice says, in line with the candidate, he believes he has the “conditions” to reach the second round and be “elected” President. But given the most likely scenario, according to polls, assumes that he will vote for the candidate supported by the PS “without any difficulty” or “state of mind”. As Expresso reported, Júdice went to a dinner to listen to Seguro and was also, last week, at the launch of a book about the former socialist leader.
“If it is both, what I most want for the country, for reasons that are obviously evident, at that time, António José Seguro will certainly understand that I maintain support for those who won on relative merit”, he stresses. “There is no main or secondary goal, but only one: reaching the second round“, reiterates the presidential candidate.
Until then, he promises a “dynamic” and “contested” campaign to mobilize more voters and win over undecided voters who “don’t like the most histrionic” ways of doing politics. In a new glance at André Ventura’s voters. People who andare “disaffected” by the system, they think that the “current situation does not benefit them” and now have the alternative of voting for someone who is also not of the political system. “I entered politics at almost 60 years old, exactly because I felt that there was this need to do something”, he emphasizes.
United in criticism of Marcelo
In addition to their vision of the country’s future, Cotrim de Figueiredo and José Miguel Júdice are aligned in their criticism of the current President of the Republic. Both voted for Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa in the 2016 presidential elections, but confess to having been disappointed with their mandates. Marcelo’s supporter, Júdice takes over that his decade in Belém was “one of the great political disappointments” of his life. “At the age of 7, he was with his father following meetings of politicians from the old regime. He has been from here for 70 years [da política]. I think that [Marcelo] He has many talents and the demands on him are much greater, for sure”, he states.
The former SIC Notícias commentator never spared criticism of the Head of State, pointing out “excesses” among too many selfies, comments and errors such as the dissolution of the Assembly of the Republic – considering that he only became “more dissatisfied” after each legislative election. “I voted strongly for Marcelo [em 2016]”, recalls Cotrim Figueiredo, who also criticized the President of the Republic, calling him the “bulwark of the system”.
The post “The country has more to gain with Cotrim de Figueiredo”, says Júdice who admits voting for Seguro in the 2nd round appeared first on Veritas News.
