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Debate on SIC Notícias ended early on Wednesday: Prata Roque left the studio and announced a national movement, then: “Leave the torch standing there speaking for itself”.
The debate broadcast this Wednesday by SIC Notícias turned into an authentic battlefield that pitted the socialist jurist, Miguel Prata Roque, and Chega’s deputy, Rodrigo Rate. The battle — and the program — ended sooner than expected, with one side abandoning the confrontation live on national television.
Alongside former PSD deputy Duarte Pacheco, the two were supposed to discuss changes to the foreigners’ law and the State Budget, but the conversation ‘went sideways’ a few minutes after the debate began.
Calling André Ventura “Salazar of Fear”Prata Roque accused Chega of being a “fascist organization”.
“When posters are put up saying that ‘this is not Bangladesh’, obviously we are promoting racism”, said Roque in relation to those from Chega which read “This is not Bangladesh” and “Gypsies must obey the law”.
“The movement to support André Ventura’s candidacy, which is in fact financed by Chega, is currently in violation of the Constitution and the law of 1978 which prohibits the existence of fascist organizations. Because one of the traits of fascism is the call to violence. The call to violence as political action. And on the other hand, it is the exaltation of figures associated with fascism. What will not happen to this Salazar da Temu who came to say that three Salazars were needed”, said the jurist before Rodrigo Taxa, Chega’s deputy who he often calls “tachista”.
Rate reacted. He began by saying that what Prata Roque was saying “doesn’t make any sense”, the socialist being “a man of law like me”, said the deputy. Prata Roque interrupted, justified herself and warned him.
“What I said is what results from Constitutional Law and the court’s jurisprudence. You can’t be in public attacking my good professional name“.
Guaranteeing that “André Ventura is not a fascist”, Taxa was once again interrupted by Roque: He [Ventura] is that he says he is fascist, from the moment he exalts figures of fascism”, he said. And it was a “O man, shut up” de Nota that made ‘the bubble burst’, triggering Prata Roque’s spontaneous departure from the studio.
“You don’t tell me to shut up either here or anywhere”said the jurist before abandoning and forcing the broadcast of the debate to end. Later, on social media, he concluded: “go tell your mother to shut up”.
Rodrigo Taxa literally ended Miguel Prata Roque’s presence in the studio!🤣🤣
It also doesn’t say anything in any way, it doesn’t matter!— Zé Nunes (@_DoutorZe)
Still on Instagram, Prata Roque was very critical (not for the first time) of Rodrigo Taxa.
“I decided to inaugurate a new national pastime: ‘Leave the torch standing there talking to itself’”wrote Prata Roque, on her page.
“In adult democracies, there is no room for lying riff-raff. There is no room for those who praise dictators who killed, persecuted, imprisoned and tortured political opponents”, he said: “Democrats have to start turning the tables. Stop cuffing and pretending that dirty, hateful and spoiled people you can sit at the same table as us.”
And he continued, apparently in reference to and on the part of Chega in Parliament, frequently denounced: “If each one of us, who values Freedom and refuses the shouting that aims to silence the majority, moderate and sensible, we continue to allow children to be targets of ‘bullying’ and people to be humiliated in public.”
“Get used to it. Do you really want to play this game? ‘Two can play that game‘”, the jurist further warned in the post. “The grunts will continue to grunt. But none of us are obliged to tolerate the attack on historical truth and the praise of authoritarian regimes. Come on! We started this national movement that is as noble as it is necessary.”
“Cowards”
Rodrigo Taxa also reacted to the controversy, criticizing SIC for closing the debate and allowing only “those who are against Chega” to speak. He also asked, in a video on social media, for Prata Roque to “suck with the pacifier”.
“It is a shame that in the week in which Francisco Balsemão, known by many as one of the guardians of democracy and freedom, passed away, SIC, the house he created, takes part in these circus acts”, lamented the deputy.
“I, for circus acts, don’t give in to clowns”these.
“Miguel Prata Roque, in addition to being a coward — because what I demonstrate is that he is a coward, because he couldn’t stand me in the debate and, therefore, he preferred to put his tail between his legs and leave the room — he is anti-democratic, he is anti-freedom of expression”, said Taxa. “I didn’t interrupt my opponent once, even after calling us everything I wanted”, he highlighted.
“Buy a bottle and a pacifier there and, if you know where the boy is, send him so he can suck on the pacifier”, said the deputy.
The socialist commentator had already, days before, been very critical of Rodrigo Taxa’s stance during his speech to Priscilla Valadão, on the same channel:
Tomás Guimarães, ZAP //
