Marques Mendes criticized the undignified way that Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa used to describe the former and current prime minister, as well as his relationship with his son. In the usual commentary space on SIC this Sunday night, Marques Mendes mentioned that the President of the Republic was even more unhappy with regards to what he said about reparations towards the former colonies.
“Let’s be frank and direct. There is no litigation. Use common sense to avoid inventing a problem.” The commentator argues that it is a very sensitive subject: “It introduces cleavages (…) it will always be a matter to be discussed with the Government”, he said.
The commentator also referred to the lists for the European elections, highlighting the fact that the invitation to Rui Moreira (to occupy second place on the list) is “ridiculous”. He did not subscribe to the criticism of Sebastião Bugalho’s choice: “He is a young man with an unusual talent. It goes a long way, because it has a lot of quality.”
On the Socialist Party list valued the choice of Marta Temido, “a bet on a popular person”, and Francisco Assis, who praised him for the “gesture of humility” he demonstrated in accepting to be number two. Regarding the fact that they did not choose any of the previous deputies, he added: “I don’t know if the renovation wasn’t exaggerated. It’s my only fix”.
Speaking about Fernando Araújo’s departure from the National Health Service, he said that his dismissal was a gesture of honesty and anticipation: “There are incompatible issues between the Minister of Health and Fernando Araújo”.
“People really like the 25th of April”
Refusing the explanation that the mass support for the 25th of April was a reaction to the 50 deputies elected by Chega, he said: “The demonstrations were powerful and very strong, with many more people than usual, firstly because people on the right and left genuinely like the 25th of Apriland then, because people also have genuine admiration for the military, for the heroic gesture.”
He also highlighted the meeting between President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, at the CCB, in Belém, with the presidents of the PALOP. “I think it’s a very happy initiative!”
And at the ceremony at the Assembly of the Republic, he drew attention to Aguiar Branco’s speech, to the timely tribute to the four victims of the 25th of April, to the intervention by Rui Tavares, from Livre, (“He gave an excellent speech”); and to that of Ana Gabriela Cabilhas, from the PSD (“A breath of fresh air”).
“Pinto da Costa didn’t have the art of leaving in time”
Marques Mendes’ intervention began with Futebol Clube do Porto.
He saluted André Villas-Boas for the “overwhelming victory” and for the courage to “be in opposition without getting lost in calculations”.
Considered that Jorge Pinto da Costa “did not have the art of leaving in time”, although he highlighted the historical dimension of his leadership: “The club had a regional dimension and he transformed the club, giving it a national and international dimension. He is the president of the club with the most titles achieved.”
