André Ventura, president of Chega and candidate for the next presidential elections, considered this Friday, October 17th, that his opponent Henrique Gouveia e Melo had become the “PS candidate” and challenged the admiral to clarify his position on immigration.
“Admiral Gouveia e Melo has become the PS candidate for these elections. It’s against the law on foreigners, it’s against the law that prohibits burqas in public spaces, it says that hatred is taking over society. I mean, I’ll still see him alongside Mariana Mortágua and Rui Tavares parading down Avenida da Liberdade, that’s all that’s missing”criticized.
André Ventura was speaking to journalists before entering a conference organized by Patriots for Europe, Chega’s European political family.
“I would like to understand if I am fighting an anti-system opponent, or outside the system, or if I am fighting a PS opponent, it is really necessary to understand this”, he stated.
Ventura also criticized the fact that Gouveia e Melo has the support of the mayor of Viana do Castelo, the socialist Luís Nobre.
The candidate for Belém challenged his opponent to clarify before the presidential elections in January “who Admiral Gouveia e Melo is”.
“I think it’s important that Admiral Gouveia e Melo clarifies whether or not he wants to have a more controlled country and a country with secure borders, that’s what I think is important, and not pretend that he is a candidate outside the system, but in fact he is being the PS candidate. In fact, everything indicates that António Costa would vote for Admiral Gouveia e Melo”he claimed.
André Ventura defended “more immigration control and safer borders”, while “apparently Admiral Gabriel wants to keep everything as the PS had left it”.
“It is important to clarify what my opponent’s thinking is in these elections”, he insisted.
Presidential candidate Gouveia e Melo considered today that the regulation included in the new law on foreigners was “not the best” and pointed out that “the economy will suffer” without immigrants to do less qualified jobs.