Tensions Rise in Political Debate

The secretary-general of the PS, Pedro Nuno Santos, labeled the measures proposed by André Ventura and his party, Chega, as irresponsible and unrealistic during a heated debate on Tuesday, ahead of the upcoming legislative elections on May 18, broadcasted on TVI.

Accusations Fly

Santos accused Ventura of lacking moral standing to criticize the PS, while Ventura fired back, branding Santos as the heir to the worst governance in Portugal's history. "The program of Chega, which we still do not know, but looking at last year's, lowers all taxes and increases all spending; it is an irresponsibility. It is not so much an irresponsibility as it is unrealism," Santos stated.

He criticized Ventura for being loud yet not offering concrete solutions to the problems faced by the Portuguese people, claiming there is a misunderstanding of the Portuguese economy on Ventura's part.

Trade Tariffs and Economic Management

On the topic of tariffs announced by the United States, Santos directly questioned Ventura, asking whether he stood with the Portuguese or with his ally, Donald Trump. Ventura disagreed with the tariffs and called for an end to the EU-Mercosur agreement, labeling it as a disaster.

Ventura countered by accusing Santos of having ruined TAP (the national airline), the railways, and the economy, questioning how he could now manage the entire country effectively. He also suggested that Santos represented the worst of governance.

Immigration Policies

The debate also covered immigration, with Santos advocating for regulated immigration with legal entry channels and incentives for legal migration to Portugal. He criticized the current immigration methods as misaligned, asserting that they encourage incorrect incentives.

Ventura responded by blaming the PS for a chaotic immigration policy and insisted on the need to control the country's borders, suggesting quotas for immigrants and the deportation of foreign criminals.

Santos clarified that deportation is already a penalty in Portuguese law and emphasized the importance of ensuring that those who commit crimes serve their sentences.

Final Remarks

In the closing moments of the debate, Santos argued that Chega lacks the moral authority to criticize others, citing their parliamentary group as having the most legal issues. Ventura retorted that the PS has a history of corruption spanning 50 years.