"I regret that in Portugal there are a number of associations of people who, frankly, are always causing trouble for the justice system in matters that shouldn't fall under the jurisdiction of the justice system. We live in a free country; we must learn to live in a democracy. Opponents in a democracy are not defeated by arresting them, or ordering their posters to be removed, or ordering their speech to be taken down, or silencing them. Opponents in a democracy are defeated through debate, through a clash of ideas," he stated.

Freedom of expression

Speaking to journalists in parliament, on the sidelines of the State Budget debate, André Ventura considered the calls for the posters to be removed "an attack on freedom of expression." Regarding the Workers' Party member's call for the Public Prosecutor's Office to intervene to apply possible sanctions because of the posters, considering that they "incite hatred," André Ventura dramatized: "He appealed to the Public Prosecutor's Office, but for what? I mean, is it for the Public Prosecutor's Office to arrest the opposition leader? Do you think this is a good image for the country abroad, that the opposition leader is arrested because of his freedom of expression?"

Accusations of racism

The presidential candidate denied that the messages appearing on the first posters alluding to his candidacy – “Isto não é o Bangladesh” ("This is not Bangladesh") and “Os ciganos têm de cumprir a lei” ("Gypsies must obey the law") – are racist.

Credits: Supplied Image; Author: Sic Notícias;

"Those promoting racism in Portugal are those minorities that for years we have had to pay everything, yet they do nothing and force us to work for them. That's racism, ask any community that lives next to that other community," he retorted.

André Ventura stated that he is "a representative of the Portuguese people" and "no one else." "No authority outside this country has any decision-making power, nor will it influence any political decisions of mine or the Chega party. What we say is obvious: this is not Bangladesh," he stated.

Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa’s silence

President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa refused to comment on presidential candidate André Ventura's posters referencing the Roma community and Bangladesh, claiming he did not want to interfere in the election campaign.

"I will not comment on the election campaign (...). In the election campaign, each party ends up taking its own initiatives, and the President of the Republic does not comment, because if he did, it would become part of the election campaign," he said, speaking to journalists at a school in Vila Verde, where he was giving a class on youth civic participation.