Carlos Carreiras: “If Gouveia e Melo is a candidate, he can count on my support”

The Mayor of Cascais, Carlos Carreiras, has stated that he will support Henrique Gouveia e Melo if the former Chief of Staff of the Navy advances to the race for Belém. “If he is a candidate, he will have my support” , Carreiras told Observador.

On Rádio Observador's Explicador das Tardes Políticas, the outgoing mayor took the step forward after having already said that he “did not rule out” supporting Henrique Gouveia e Melo. Now, Carreiras has even guaranteed that he will support the admiral if he announces his candidacy, but he also warned that “it is still early” to enter the race.

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Carlos Carreiras: “If Gouveia e Melo is a candidate, he has my support”

Carlos Carreiras is one of a group of PSD mayors — or close ones — who are inclined to support Gouveia e Melo. Ribau Esteves, from Aveiro, also admitted to supporting the retired military man and Isaltino Morais, from Oeiras, even said that the PSD “should support” Gouveia e Melo.

Regarding whether it will contribute to the defeat of Luís Marques Mendes, who, by all indications, will be the candidate supported by the PSD, Carlos Carreiras rejects this and says that “it is healthy for candidates to emerge from outside political parties”.

State budget rejection does not lead to dissolution, criticism of Mendes and Trump and the seduction of the center. What is (for now) going through Gouveia e Melo's mind

The mayor of Cascais also admitted that he shares Henrique Gouveia e Melo's political stance, as expressed by the former Chief of Staff of the Navy in an article published in the weekly newspaper Expresso. “I have been warning about the rejection of extremes for some time now,” said Carlos Carreiras, referring to the fact that Gouveia e Melo positions himself “between socialism and social democracy”, a stance he shares with the admiral.

As for the interpretation of the Constitution, without overriding Gouveia e Melo, Carlos Carreiras says that he understands that the warning about the dissolution of Parliament, if the Government does not fulfill its promises, is a “warning for the accountability” of political agents.

Henrique Gouveia e Melo attended a forum this Tuesday promoted by the civic association SEDES, which was attended by all the names that have been suggested for the presidential elections. He denied that he was maintaining a taboo but continued to not say whether he would be a candidate, saying only that he is “exercising the rights of citizenship that were limited during 45 years” of military life.

Gouveia e Melo avoids selfies, rejects Mandatory Military Service and asks for “time” to break the taboo