The president of the Assembly of the Republic warned that “no more insults and disgrace about the name of Portugal”, after deputies from the party led by André Ventura made signs during the Brazilian head of state’s speech this Tuesday.
As soon as Brazil’s President Lula da Silva started his intervention in the solemn welcome session, the members of Chega stood up and held up three kinds of posters that read “Enough corruption”, “A thief’s place is in jail”” and others with the colors of the Ukrainian flags.
The President of Brazil continued his speech for a few more minutes, but as soon as there was a pause, the benches on the left and the PSD applauded enthusiastically, while the members of Chega came to the table with a bang, prompting Augusto Santos Silva to to grab.
“Deputies who wish to remain in the chamber must behave politely, politely and with the education required of any representative of the Portuguese people. Enough of the insults, enough of humiliating the institutions, enough of shaming the name of Portugal”said Santos Silva visibly annoyed.
Shouts of ’25 de Abril always, never again fascism’ were heard in the hall, and the President of the Parliament was applauded by the feet of the majority of the Hemicycle deputies, by the ex-President of the Parliament Ferro Rodrigues and by some guests such as ex-presidential candidate Sampaio da Nóvoa, PS president Carlos César and general secretary of the PCP Paulo Raimundo.
Then Lula da Silva continued his intervention, while the Chega deputies with raised posters responded to the applause by stamping their feet.
In the end, Santos Silva apologized to Lula da Silva on behalf of the Portuguese Parliament, thanking him for his “courage and education”, a moment applauded by the President of the Republic, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa.
Lula: “Those who make politics are used to this”
However, Brazil’s president, Lula da Silva, devalued the Chega protest during his speech in parliament, believing that when “people, when they have nothing good to show off”, from “this scene of mockery” becomes a “cardboard “.
“Those who are involved in politics are used to this. I think when these people return home and put their heads on the pillow, they will say: what a piece of paper we have made,” Lula da Silva told journalists as he walked away the meeting room of the Assembly of the Republic.
Brazil’s head of state said he saw no incident, but only “10 people or half a dozen people protesting, which is the most normal thing in democracy”.
“I feel sorry sometimes because when people don’t have something good to do, to show off, people make fun of this scene. I honestly don’t know how these people go home, look at their kids, their parents and to say that in the meeting they participated in an event that was practically a tribute to the Carnation Revolution, because that’s why I came here at the invitation of President Rebelo,” he said.
After the greeting session, Lula da Silva said that the way the Brazilian delegation was received in Portugal was “extraordinary”.
“I just have to thank the chairman of the General Assembly [da República]President Marcelo and Prime Minister António Costa for their care and treatment,” he said.
Source: DN
