The Portuguese right-wing party Chega, led by deputy André Ventura, placed a poster criticizing President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) and the president of Angola, João Lourenço, in front of the Assembly of the Republic, in Lisbon, this Monday (9), the day of the inauguration of socialist António José Seguro.
The PT member was not present at the inauguration ceremony of the new Portuguese president, despite having celebrated his victory over Ventura in the second electoral round last month.
The poster with photos of left-wing leaders was accompanied by a message: “It’s not 500 years of Portugal’s fault, it’s its corruption.” In a post on social media, the party added: “This is how anyone who does not respect our history should be received!”
Lula was not present at Monday’s ceremony. The Brazilian president received his South African counterpart, Cyril Ramaphosa, on the same day on an official visit to Brazil, during which they will discuss the expansion of trade between the two BRICS members.
In a later publication, the Chega leader shared an excerpt from a speech in which he criticized authorities from Portuguese-speaking countries. According to him, Portuguese leaders “don’t have the courage to say things” while they are being attacked from the outside.
He quoted the president of Angola in his speech, saying that the country called Portugal “colonialist, slaver, thieves in front of the whole world” during a state visit.
Ventura also wrote in the publication’s caption: “Today, several Lusophone Heads of State are in Lisbon, for the inauguration of the President of the Republic. We respect everyone, especially the Portuguese-speaking countries, but we have to tell the truth. Our returnees deserve it, the former combatants deserve it, Portugal deserves it.”
The Chega leader stated in his speech, accompanied by the billboard with Lula’s photo, that these countries cannot justify their own corruption and poverty by blaming Portugal’s history.
Former federal deputy Eduardo Bolsonaro commented on the post, agreeing with the Portuguese right-wing leader’s statements.
“True. Lula steals and they still want to blame Pedro Álvares Cabral, do me a favor. What happened in 1,500 was the biggest technological leap in history”, wrote the son of former president Jair Bolsonaro.
