Cotrim does not exclude support for Ventura in the second round. “He moderated his speech and it seems different”

The liberal candidate does not exclude support for Ventura and says he would need to think deeply about who to support in a second round. Ventura sees the possible support “naturally”.

Presidential candidate Cotrim Figueiredo revealed this Monday that, in a possible second round of elections in which he is not in, he does not exclude support for any candidate.

“I do not exclude any candidatebut I would have to do a deep reflection“, admitted the also MEP, at the end of a visit to the Fundão Municipal Market where he had, by his side, the vice-president of the Assembly of the Republic Rodrigo Saraiva, the former PSD deputy Liliana Reis and the councilor in the Covilhã City Council, who ran as an independent elected by the CDS-PP, Eduardo Cavaco.

Asked whether he would support his opponent André Ventura in the race to Belém, the former IL leader reaffirmed that, at this point, he is not excluding anyone. “I still haven’t met André Ventura from the last four days. He moderated his speech and seems like a different politician”, he considered.

Despite the insistence of journalists, Cotrim Figueiredo said that, with the “dynamics it is in”, the only scenario he is interested in talking about is the one where he is in the second round of the presidential elections.

And in a possible scenario in which he goes to the second round with André Ventura, leader of Chega, asked if he would like to have the support of the remaining right-wing candidates, Cotrim Figueiredo was clear in saying that he doesn’t think he needs it. “I don’t think I need itI don’t think I need it”, he insisted.

For the candidate, supported by the Liberal Initiative, the votes do not belong to the candidates, but to the people. “People will have to make that choice. There are two candidates there, choose. I don’t need the endorsement [apoio] from anyone, I’m sorry”, he stressed.

And, in that sense, you understand, you also won’t need to support anyone because you don’t own the votes that are entrusted to you.

Support from Cotrim would be natural, says Ventura

Presidential candidate André Ventura said today that he sees “naturally” a possible support from Cotrim de Figueiredo in a second round against Seguro, but criticized the liberal, classifying him as a blocker “in a suit and tie”.

“I see João Cotrim de Figueiredo’s statement naturally, that, as is likely, I am in the second round and the [outro] candidate is António José Seguro, that this support can be expressed and that this can happen. I will also look avoid having a socialist President as much as possible”, stated the also president of Chega.

Marques Mendes has also commented on Cotrim’s statements, accusing the liberal of admitting that he will not go to the second round. “Cotrim Figueiredo, in saying what he said, is basically recognize that you are not going to the second round. You are recognizing what many people say, that a vote for the Liberal Initiative candidacy is a useless vote, useless, because it will not go to the second round, because it will not win”, declared the candidate supported by the PSD.

On the contrary, Marques Mendes says he already has the second round planned in his head. “There was one person who approached me saying there was only a week left: I said, no, no, four weeks to goTherefore, my perspective is that of February 8th”, he said.

Jorge Pinto says he is saddened by Cotrim’s comments, accusing the liberal of abdicating his principles out of calculation. “If there is anyone who has spoken against our democracy, it is André Ventura. That João Cotrim Figueiredo is comfortable with this and assumes that he could vote for him saddens me, but actually it doesn’t surprise mebecause the points of contact between João Cotrim Figueiredo and the Liberal Initiative and Chega and André Ventura are several”, he stated.

The presidential elections, in which 11 candidates are competing, are scheduled for January 18. If none of them obtains more than half of the votes validly cast, a second round will take place on February 8th between the two most voted.