Montenegro accuses Santos Silva of being 'Chega's biggest political accomplice'

Speaking in Figueira de Castelo Rodrigo, Guarda, after visiting a sheep and cattle farmer and participating in a meeting with farmers, as part of the 'Sentir Portugal' initiative, Luís Montenegro reacted to the statements of Augusto Santos Silva in the new 'podcast' by the PS parliamentary group in which he suggested that there was complicity between the PSD and Chega.

For the president of the PSD, Santos Silva "returns to his status as an inveterate socialist and looks in the mirror, because he is, objectively, the greatest political support, the greatest political accomplice of Chega, with all the episodes that will accumulate in parliament precisely to praise Chega's role".

The speaker of parliament and former foreign minister "has decided to return to this version of 'pushing' others", he accused. “That's essentially what the two statements mean. I sign up,” he added.

The Social Democratic leader did not mince his words, even suggesting that Santos Silva "is trying to conquer a space within the Portuguese left in order to be able, in this way, to have a springboard for another political adventure", in an allusion to a presidential candidacy from 2026.

“What I can say and register is that Doctor Santos Silva wants to 'turn the beak towards the nail'. Chega's accomplice in this country is the PS and it is doctor Santos Silva in particular, ”he insisted.

Luís Montenegro sought, on the other hand, to circumvent the question of a possible future agreement between the PSD and Chega and the challenge launched by the leader of this party, André Ventura, for an agreement which would make it possible to withdraw the PS from the government.

“The PSD is the government's alternative to the Socialist Party and will not lose sight of this objective. I am here to be prime minister. And I'm here to win voters for Chega, for the Liberal Initiative, for the PS. I don't have much hope for the Communist Party and the Left Bloc. I admit that I am more realistic in this area,” he said.

The Social Democrat leader also considered that the question of agreements between the PSD and Chega only interested the Socialists and the Prime Minister.

“I am here to be an alternative to the PS. I am not here to let myself be distracted by the conversations that interest the PS, Dr. Santos Silva, Dr. António Costa and all those acolytes who accompany today these two personalities, Prime Minister and President of the Assembly of the Republic , within the PS, ”he stressed. .

In the "podcast" of the PS parliamentary group, broadcast today, Augusto Santos Silva denies being in favor of Chega when he holds direct debates with this party and accuses the PSD of being an accomplice of André Ventura.

“Who criticizes, who fights, who slows down, is an accomplice? So what would you call someone who doesn't criticize, fight, stop and even say they're available for deals? If the former are accomplices, what are the latter called? asked Santos Silva, in an allusion to the current leadership of the PSD.