António Cotrim / Lusa
Tense moments, live on television, between Marques Mendes and Gouveia e Melo. The political statement of the night came in favor of Seguro.
It was the last debate among the candidates a president of the Republic. And he brought together all 11 candidates.
It took place last night, at , and the highlight was – again – for the direct exchange of words between Marques Mendes and Gouveia e Melo. There was even a moment of high tension between the two.
Gouveia e Melo spoke about the lack of transparency in the system in Portugal, which “is attacking democracy itself” – and spoke directly about Marques Mendes.
“Regarding transparency, it seems very difficult to have candidates who are business facilitators and that they can go to the Presidency”, threw the admiral into reserve.
Marques Mendes reacted by saying that a “insinuation campaign” on the part of Gouveia e Melo, he repeated that he was never a “business facilitator” and that he never had any problems with the courts.
“I have been registered with the Bar since 1983, I practiced law during these years after leaving political life”, assured the former PSD leader.
“In 15 years of law I have not had a problem with the Bar Association where I am registered, I have never had a problem with the Tax Authority always paying taxes, I have never had a problem with the Public Prosecutor’s Office, no investigation, I have never had a problem with the Constitutional Court or the Transparency Entity, where I make all the statements”, he added
“And specific cases?” asked Marques Mendes. Gouveia e Melo began to present a list of companies. “This is not a specific case. These are insinuations.”
“In other matters I am a person of integrity and, therefore, I express my indignation here towards someone who specializes in mud, the ordinary and political indecency”, said Marques Mendes.
Gouveia e Melo didn’t like it: “Ordinary… Use the word carefully. Ordinary is favoring business in the State. That’s what is truly ordinary in ethical terms.”
Insurance did not react
At the same time as he directly attacked Marques Mendes, Gouveia e Melo had another target, who was also in the debate: António José Seguro.
“Mário Soares said that a candidate who is here next to me [António José Seguro] he had no decision-making capacity, he should not have the respect of his own party“, he insinuated.
“These two candidates who come from the system were unable to beat their own parties, nor are they able to gather consensus from their own parties, but they come here to try to achieve general consensus to be the top of the pyramid of the political system”, commented Gouveia e Melo.
Insurance did not extend this subject: “I’m in this campaign to elevate public debate and politics. We are candidates for President of the Republic, we owe this respect to the Portuguese.”
Jorge Pinto suggests giving up (?)
The political statement of the night emerged from Jorge Pinto. The Livre activist suggested giving up, if there is a union on the left around António José Seguro, to avoid a victory for the right and a review of the Constitution of the Republic.
“It will not be because of me that António José Seguro will not be President of the Republic“, stated the candidate supported by Livre.
Jorge Pinto challenged the other two left-wing candidates to unite. “I will not fail the Portuguese. As far as I’m concerned, the left will go through to the second round“, he added.
But the other two candidates did not agree with the idea. António Filipe repeated that he will carry out his “irreplaceable” candidacy until the end; Catarina Martins found that moment “very confusing” and he thinks that, if there were to be conversations, negotiations, there would have been sooner.
“It is clear in this debate that Jorge Pinto considers that the left should go and vote for a candidate who missed cuts in holiday bonuses and Christmas bonuses during the Troika era and who says he would do them again”, analyzed the MEP.
António José Insurance guaranteed that it did not make agreements with anyonebut understood Jorge Pinto’s ideas about the eventual revision of the Constitution.
Jorge Pinto’s attitude would be a bit of a surprise. Firstly, because Livre defends a united left; secondly, because hours before the debate it had been said that Jorge Pinto will give up the race for Belém if there is a joint decision from the left.
But, the morning after the debate, Jorge Pinto assured that won’t give up: “I’m going to the end and, if yesterday I wasn’t clear enough, if yesterday I wasn’t interpreted well enough, let me be so now”.
The decision is definitive: “I repeated the call to start my candidacy. I said, with all the feeling of responsibility that the historic moment demands; the left was in time to reach a republican pact and make compromises between everyone”, commented the candidate, in conversation with journalists in Lisbon.
“Yesterday, when I mentioned this proposal for November 1st, it was again not answered by other applications. And therefore, as I have since said, there being no such answer, It is clear that my candidacy will go to the end”, he added.
