“AND a great sign, this massive participation of the Portuguese people in this parade is extraordinary, celebrating the 50th anniversary of the 25th of April with the strength, the enthusiasm of those who do not want to go backwards, of those who will stop and combat any social setback, economic or cultural. The people are here to safeguard, protect the values of April, our political democracy, but also social and cultural democracy”, defended the secretary general of the PS, Pedro Nuno Santos.
The socialist leader spoke to journalists at the popular parade that marked the 50th anniversary of the 25th of April 1974, on Avenida da Liberdade, in Lisbon, where he joined several Socialist Youth activists, no longer wearing the suit and tie he wore at the solemn ceremony. celebration in parliament, but keeping the carnation on his chest.
Pedro Nuno Santos expressed confidence that the PS will win the European elections in June and that it will win the legislative elections again – “and there won’t be much left” – despite the “turn to the right”, and highlighted that citizens still “face many problems ” in the welfare state, in public services or in housing.
“But it is the PS and the left in general that is most prepared to respond to these problems, it is not the right, it has never been the right. We govern for the majority of the people, the right for the minority”, he criticized.
Further back, in the final stretch of the parade, as has been customary, a delegation from the Liberal Initiative also joined the popular demonstration, with Rui Rocha remembering that his party has been participating in this moment since it was founded, “even when they wanted to try not to” be there.
The liberal welcomed citizen participation in the parade, considering it “a good sign”.
“The 25th of April is a defining date for freedom and, therefore, seeing so many Portuguese people coming together in celebration, with different political views, with different visions for the country, who come together to celebrate this date that unites democrats and those who love freedom, that’s fantastic“, he defended.
Flanked by the former IL leader and current front-runner for the European elections, João Cotrim de Figueiredo, Rui Rocha asked that participation in this afternoon’s parade be reflected in the June vote, hoping that there will also be a “huge participation”.
Contrary to Pedro Nuno Santos, Rui Rocha considered that it will still be a long time “before the Portuguese forget all the consequences of socialist governance”.
On the left, the BE coordinator Mariana Mortáguarejected being faced with a demonstration but rather “an occupation for freedom”, speaking of an “entire country that took to the streets”.
“There is a majority of people who take to the streets over the age of 50 and it is not just to celebrate the 25th of April, to mark a symbolic day, it is to make a statement: to say that in Portugal democracy cannot be negotiated, democracy is not concerned, there is a majority of people who support democracy, who defend democracy, who think it is the best system for Portugal“, he considered.
“I believe that today so many people took to the streets despite their political and ideological differences, but to affirm this founding principle: equality, freedom, justice and democracy”, he said.
Also the secretary general of the PCP, Paulo Raimundopraised the “massive, expressive” and even “emotional” participation demonstrated by citizens, classifying it as “a great affirmation of April”.
The communist warned that problems still persist in access to health, education and housing.
“There is an affirmation of April here and, simultaneously, the demand that April be observed in people’s lives”, he stated.
A small delegation from the Social Democratic Youth (JSD) also participated in the parade, headed by its leader, deputy Alexandre Poço and with the participation of former deputy André Coelho Lima and other current parliamentarians.
[Notícia atualizada às 19h39]
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