Presidential hopeful Henrique Gouveia e Melo – the naval submarine commander turned Admiral of the Fleet before he retired – has done precisely what current president Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa seemed to be delighted this week hadn’t happened. He has taken the theme of Portugal’s ‘out of control forest wildfires’ to make a point about the ‘posture’ of certain ‘oblivious’ politicians.
Many will resonate with the words today of Gouveia e Melo – a man who has insisted that his candidacy to the presidency will have nothing to do with any political force. He wrote on his Gouveia e Melo Presidente Facebook page:
“I have spent the last few days glued to the television, shattered by the images of fire devouring our territory, and by the desperation of our men and women.
“I cannot fail to be shocked and incredulous by the images of some of those with political responsibility who, oblivious to the terror experienced by populations, maintain their agendas, in a cold bubble of cynicism at such suffering. If they cannot prevent, or remedy, the very least one would hope is that they were present, beside their people in their suffering.
“I do not accept the arguments that “we cannot speak of the fires as this is making political capital” or that “only after combat can we talk about this”. These are pretexts to gain time and diminish responsibilities.
“Burying one’s head in the sand, putting off what is difficult to resolve, and managing public agendas, may not be the best solution.
“What we are seeing is an interior where people are weeping and battling to control flames, while in other parts of the country there are those who are enjoying holidays and taking smiling photographs at political summer events. It is this kind of disrespect that is mining confidence in democracy. A real leader, even if he can do nothing else, stands up with his people, showing that he is not hiding from the responsibilities that he himself sought.
“Year after year, people forget and prevention, planning and structural investments are left off the agenda.
“If this is politics, I am very glad to have missed it.
“To the firefighters, the army personnel, the police, the doctors and nurses and everyone today who does their best for Portugal, my thoughts are with you. And a special embrace for the courageous, selfless populations who are helping each other defend their homes and their lives.
“I send my most profound gratitude to all of you”.
As Expresso points out, the publication of this post came “hours after the PSD’s Festa do Pontal” in Quarteira where prime minister Luís Montenegro made a series of announcements and pronouncements, and, regarding the wildfires, “assured that the government is acting discreetly, but ‘very closely’, striving to be ‘as effective as possible’” (without actually being there, or showing populations any demonstrable form of empathy).
Gouveia e Melo’s candidacy for the presidency hit a rocky patch earlier this summer, when political adversaries highlighted his lack of political experience. This failing may actually have come in now as a refreshing plus point. Only time will tell: these are the elections that will fill news pages once the municipal elections have been decided in October.
Source: Expresso/ Gouveia e Melo – presidente (Facebook)
