Rui Minderico / LUSA
Chega’s president, André Ventura
André Ventura has always sought to distance himself from neo-Nazi movements that support Chega, but now he does not hesitate to share on his social networks a publication about “remigration” with clear references to Mário Machado’s group 1143 and Reconquista.
In the publication shared on the social network, André Venturas appears dressed as a TAP commander to defend the deportation of illegal immigrantssomething that neo-Nazi movements refer to as “remigration“.
Along with the photo, there is a TAP plane ticket for a “flight back to your country of origin” with the symbols of Chega and the ultranationalist Reconquista movement side by side.
This movement defends the “purity” of the Portuguesethe expulsion of irregular immigrants and also the reduction of women’s rights and LGBTQI+ people.
Furthermore, the ticket also includes the number “TP1143” which can be seen as a reference that is led by , known as the main driver of the Portuguese neo-Nazi movement and already condemned several times.
“The use of these symbols caused discomfort in some deputies and activists” from Chega, according to .
But André Ventura devalues any controversy. “We just like the image”replied to Expresso.
In the text of the Facebook post, he asks “PS and PSD want to know what we would do with the illegals who are in Portugal?” “Here is the answer: a ticket awayuntil they comply with the same rules as everyone else”, he further points out.
Ventura says it’s just a “joke” and complains of “political persecution”
Meanwhile, André Ventura criticized Expresso on the social network X, noting that the newspaper “shows the rubbish it represents”. “We can’t believe a word of what comes out of that newspaper”, he adds.
“One prank on social media ends up with a title like this that is absolutely silly”, he also points out, highlighting that “it is pure political persecution because they know that I don’t do shipping for them and I’m not afraid.”
Expresso shows here the rubbish it represents today and why we cannot believe a word that comes out of that newspaper. A joke on social media ends up with an absolutely silly title like this. This is pure political persecution because they know I don’t deliver for them…
— André Ventura (@AndreCVentura)
The leader of Reconquista, Afonso Gonçalves, has already welcomed Ventura’s sharing on social media, reinforcing the idea of “remigration”.
“Ventura sharing the Reconquista symbol alongside the Chega symbol and with an aesthetic associated with Remigration, and there are still people doubting it? We’re really going to win”, he writes on the social network X.
Ventura sharing the symbol of RECONQUISTA alongside the symbol of ENOUGH and with an aesthetic associated with REMIGRATION and there are still people doubting it?
Let’s really WIN
— Afonso Gonçalves (@AfonsoJFG)
Author of the image uses Nazi and xenophobic expression
The image of Ventura with the TAP ticket would have been created by a social media page called “Minister of Memes”.
The alleged author shared the image on X with the expression “Foreigners Out” which means “foreigners out” in German, and which has Nazi and xenophobic connotations.
The phrase is often associated with far-right movements that promote exclusion and discrimination against foreigners and minorities.
Foreigners out!
— Minister of Memes (@ Ministrodosmeme)
Similarities with the AfD “deportation ticket”
On social media, there are those who notice similarities between the image with Ventura and the electoral pamphlet of the German far-right party AfD who placed deportation tickets in the mailboxes of immigrant families.
is being investigated by incitement to hatred after this campaign initiative for the upcoming elections.
The German far right (strongly supported by Elon Musk and Russia) placed deportation tickets in the mailboxes of immigrant families. Where have we seen this happen? We all know how it ended…
We learn nothing from the past.— República (@RodriguesAValve)
The German party’s main flag for this electoral event is ““, also defending goodbye to the euro and mandatory military service.
