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Climate activists throw green paint at Portuguese right-wing leader

  • February 28, 2024
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A climate activist this Wednesday released green paint on right-wing candidate to the Prime Minister of Portugal, Luis Montenegrowho later assured that he had “respect” for the demonstrators,

A climate activist this Wednesday released green paint on right-wing candidate to the Prime Minister of Portugal, Luis Montenegrowho later assured that he had “respect” for the demonstrators, but dialogue was “easier.”

“I’m ready for anything,” he said with humor in front of the cameras a few seconds after the incident, which occurred during a campaign event at the entrance to the Lisbon Tourism Exchange (BTL), the most important fair in the sector in Portugal.

The leader of the conservative Democratic Alliance (AD) coalition in the March 10 elections joked that “He was not lacking in purpose.” to the young man who threw the painting, who was immediately arrested by police officers present at the fair.

Luis Montenegro reacts to a paint strike – Photo: EFE

Members of the Montenegrin delegation helped the politician and chanted encouraging messages such as “Luis, friend, the youth are with you” and “This is the strength of AD.”

Speaking to reporters minutes later, still covered in green paint, Montenegro said he had “full respect” for the demonstrators but felt it expressed his concerns about climate change and sustainable development. “It was easier to talk”.

He stressed that AD’s election program includes a number of measures on environmental and climate issues, and recalled that one of the initiatives he will implement if he leads the government is the organization of a monthly council of ministers on climate and energy transition.

“I have a very strong commitment to climate and environmental issues.”insisted the Conservative leader, who ruled out commenting on whether the young people who organized the protest were being exploited by other political forces and did not want the debate to focus on incidents such as this Wednesday.

The incident forced Montenegro to change its agenda, which in another subsequent election event, now without embellishment, announced that we will file a complaint against activists.

Group Lisbon student climate strike took responsibility for the attack on social networks and warned that “This and all other parties will be the target of ongoing student actions.”.

“Elections in 2024 with a mandate until 2028, where no political platform of any party addresses how we are going to achieve a just transition on a 2030 end-to-fossil deadline and send us straight to collapse,” they tweeted.

Socialist Party leader Pedro Nuño Santos – Photo: Reuters

The event drew widespread criticism from the rest of the country’s political leaders, including the other leading candidate for prime minister, the Socialist Party. Pedro Nuno Santos.

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“I condemn any protest in the context of a democratic campaign. We must be able to respect, this is a very important moment in our democracy,” he told reporters.

Left Bloc coordinator Mariana Mortagua described it as “attack” on “freedom in the election campaign” and to “democracy”, while from the animalistic PAN its candidate Ines Souza Real expressed regret about what happened, although she expressed solidarity with the “disappointment” of young people who are “going to pay the climate bills”.

Party leader far right Chega, Andre Ventura, condemned that Montenegro suffered from “a vile and cowardly act” that “this does not help any cause”, and Rui Rocha’s Liberal Initiative considered it an “intolerable” attack.

The Student Climate Strike group has carried out other similar attacks in the past, targeting ministers, parties and companies.

EFE

Source: Aristegui Noticias

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