Fernando Veludo / Lusa
Ramalho Eanes receives with the Great Award Ilídio Pinho Foundation
“What we thought was sacred, sovereignty and law of people and people, all this is over.” Former President of the Republic receives award – but not the 100,000 euros.
No renovation and dispenses honors. Ramalho Eanes was distinguished this Monday with the Great Prize Ilídio Pinho Foundationin the one that was the third edition of the reward that aims “Honor a Portuguese of excellence that the country recognizes as an exemplary citizen”.
About that distinction, the former chief of state, to speak at the ceremony of delivery of the reward, which took place this morning in the House of Porto, explained that it did not intend to accept it: “I don’t deserve it, it didn’t deserve honors. I refused the prize outright ”.
But, he said, after some insistence and to hear the arguments of woman, Manuela Eanes decided to accept the prize: “I could not admit that the jury personalities could interpret my decision as a manifestation of less respect ”.
Ramalho Eanes, thus accepted to receive the medal, by Álvaro Siza, who received the same award in 2023, but refused the pecuniary value of 100 thousand euros associated with the prize.
“From an early age I saw men die in combat for the country and how the financially poor homeland treated their descendants. I promised that I would never get more profit from those due to my professional activity“He justified.
“The world has changed to worse”
The former president of the Republic considered that “the world has changed to the worse” and that it was over that which was thought to be “sacred”, such as sovereignty and the law of peoples.
“The world has changed, changed to worse. What we thought was sacred, that was sovereignty, the right of peoples, the law of people, all this ended“, Said Ramalho Eanes, justifying the statement with the positions assumed by the United States, Russia and China.
For the former chief of state, those “three great in the world showed that all this Not respectableit does not have to be considered and this naturally represents for pluripartisan, democratic democratic democracies a priority. ”
Presidential? And the current problems?
Questioned about the eventual support for a candidate for presidential elections From 2026, Ramalho Eanes stated that he would not answer this question, merely stating that “many candidates will certainly appear” and that “It’s too early talk about it ”.
However, the one who was the first president of the elected republic of Portuguese democracy admitted that the fact that there are so many names pointed out to that position “is a sign that Democracy is well“.
“Although I thought more interesting than the presentations were laterso that the Portuguese look at their problems, to the big problems they have to solve and not look at the presidential election, which is very important but will only happen in 2026, ”he said.
Regarding the problems and challenges that Portugal faces, the general warned that “the country has to look at certain aspects that are fundamental to have a future.”
“It is not realized that in relation to these fundamental aspects that are indispensable for having a future there is no understanding, party, social, cultural,” he said.
For Ramalho Eanes, there “Minimum consensus” That should be achieved: “Minimal consensus, what is indispensable for Portugal to have a future made by the Portuguese, not the future that circumstances impose because the exaggerated consensus kill democracy.”
