"I wanted to thank you all, thank you for the messages, the prayers, the concern, the affection, after that very, very scary episode that I had yesterday for the first time in my life," he says.

In the video recorded at the hotel, the Chega leader also thanks the health professionals who accompanied him at Faro Hospital, who "were impeccable until the end".

"I still won't be able to be on the campaign trail today, I don't feel capable of doing that yet. I'm recovering," said André Ventura.

"But the campaign must continue, we must continue to reach people across the country and it will continue today in Vila Nova de Milfontes. I won't be back yet, but it's as if I were, and we must continue the fight," he appealed.

In the video, André Ventura is sitting on the bed, partially covered with the sheets and with a glass bottle of water in his hand.

The sleeves of the shirt he was wearing were rolled up, with several bandages visible on his hand, the inside of his elbows, and his chest.

The president of Chega spent the night at Faro Hospital, where he was taken after feeling unwell while speaking at a lunch rally in Tavira, in the district of Faro.

The party's press office had already indicated, through a statement, that André Ventura would not be present at this afternoon's parade in Vila Nova de Milfontes, district of Beja. An official party source told Lusa that the Chega leader is expected to return to the electoral campaign for Sunday's elections on Thursday.

Two street parades are planned for that day, one in the late morning in Odemira and another in the afternoon in Pegões.

In the note, released moments before the video was published, the party indicated that André Ventura "is not yet in a position to return to immediate physical activity, and is still in the process of recovery and rest under medical advice".

A street parade was planned for this afternoon in Vila Nova de Milfontes, in Beja. The same source indicated that the parliamentary leader, Pedro Pinto, and the head of the list for the Beja constituency, Rui Cristina, will be present, in addition to other leaders.

André Ventura was admitted to Faro Hospital on Tuesday night, after feeling unwell during a dinner rally in Tavira, and was discharged this morning.

According to the chairman of the Board of Directors of Faro Hospital, who spoke to journalists minutes before the Chega leader left that health unit, André Ventura had “an indisposition” related to a “change in blood pressure”.

When he left, the president of Chega did not want to speak to journalists.

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