Filipe Amorim / Lusa
The President of the Republic, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, flanked by João Soares (left) before the start of the ceremony commemorating the centenary of the birth of Mário Soares
Former PS leader João Soares, son of Mário Soares, today criticized some “false narratives” that continue to circulate about his father, such as the “slanderous lies” uttered by André Ventura in parliament.
This position was defended by João Soares in the evocative session that marks the centenary of Mário Soares’ birth, which takes place at the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, in Lisbon.
In a sold-out auditorium, João Soares welcomed the presence of the PS general secretary, Pedro Nuno Santosand praised his leadership.
The former deputy remembered his father as “someone who marked and marks for the political, civic, cultural and human legacy” but also recalled the “family man” who acted with “immense tenderness and solidarity”.
João Soares made a point of highlighting that his father was “an exemplary son, father and grandfather”.
“And it is important to say it with this clarity and simplicity, against some false narratives that continue to appear out there. He went and still a victimone of the greatest slanders in our political life. Set up by the dictatorship and its dark forces but not only”, he lamented.
João Soares stated that he recently heard on the radio “a miserable slander that has been repeated”, that Soares would have trampled on the flag of Portugal in the 70s.
“An absolute falsehood parallel to the slanderous lies about decolonization said by a representative of the extreme right in our parliament the day before yesterday. Absolutely miserable lies”, he criticized.
On Friday, in the solemn session commemorating the centenary of Mário Soares’ birth, in the Assembly of the Republic, the president of Chega, André Ventura, recalled “the unavoidable role” by Soares on the 25th of November and in the country’s first steps in Europe, .
Ventura accused Soares of having been “accomplice and activist of a system of owners of all this, which began in his shadow and remained in his shadow”, further accusing him of being responsible for a “inhumane and poorly done decolonization“.
In addition to Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa and António Costain the session commemorating the centenary of Mário Soares’ one hundred years, the former President of the Republic is also present Aníbal Cavaco Silvaamong other personalities.
Mário Alberto Nobre Lopes Soaresborn on December 7, 1924, was one of the main figures in the resistance to the Estado Novo regime. He was arrested several times and was exiled to São Tomé and Príncipe and France.
Lawyer, he was the founder and first leader of the Socialist Party.
After the revolution of April 25, 1974, returned from exile in France and was Minister of Foreign Affairs and Prime Minister between 1976 and 1978 and between 1983 and 1985, having requested Portugal’s accession to the then European Economic Community (EEC) in 1977, and signed the respective treaty in 1985.
He was President of the Republic for two terms, between 1986 and 1996.
aged 92, in Lisbon.
O centenary of his birth Today it begins to be marked with a vast program that runs until the end of 2025 and will extend to various parts of the country with exhibitions, literary editions and cultural initiatives.
