Henrique Gouveia e Melo

Presidential candidate Gouveia e Melo today considered the United States' military intervention in Venezuela illegitimate, despite doubts about the Caracas government’s democracy, and warned of the risks of the new international situation.

These positions were conveyed to journalists by Henrique Gouveia e Melo at the Monte Abraão Fair in Sintra, after being confronted with the “large-scale attack” ordered by US President Donald Trump, which resulted in the capture of the Venezuelan head of state, Nicolas Maduro.

For the former Chief of Defence Staff, in terms of compliance with international rules, the US military intervention in Venezuela “is illegitimate”.

“It is worrying that countries invade the sovereignty of others and that certain situations are resolved by force,” he emphasised.

André Ventura

André Ventura was the only Portuguese presidential candidate who didn’t criticise the attack on Venezuela.

In a post on X, formerly Twitter, André Ventura said that “the overthrow of Nicolás Maduro’s regime is a good sign for freedom throughout the region.” The Chega leader also says that it is “a sign of hope for the Venezuelan people and for the Portuguese communities living there, who will now be able to live in democracy.”

Catarina Martins

For her part, candidate Catarina Martins argued today that Portugal “doesn’t need to wait for Europe” to unequivocally condemn the attack carried out by the United States in Venezuela, which she considered to represent a global danger.

“Portugal doesn’t need to wait for Europe to condemn an operation that violates international law and increases the risk of global war,” argued the candidate supported by the Left Bloc.

João Cotrim de Figueiredo

Presidential candidate João Cotrim Figueiredo hopes that the Portuguese in Venezuela are being supported and protected after the US military intervention.

“The Portuguese community in Venezuela must be protected, so I hope that the Portuguese diplomatic services, including the Presidency of the Republic, are already in the field to ensure all the necessary support for the Portuguese who are still in Venezuela and for the Portuguese who may now have the idea of returning to Venezuela after a forced exile in recent years,” said the candidate, supported by the Liberal Initiative, at the end of a visit to the Loulé Market, in the district of Faro.

In addition, the MEP considered that any infringement of international law is in itself criticisable, adding that the US military action was not preceded by any consultation with any ally or multilateral institution.

Luís Marques Mendes

Luís Marques Mendes said today that it was too early to draw conclusions or “catalogue the nature” of the US intervention in Venezuela and argued that the priority should be the situation of the Portuguese community in the country.

Speaking to journalists at the end of a pre-campaign event in Lisbon’s Benfica market, the candidate said he had been following the situation in Venezuela for a few hours “with attention and concern”.

"The first word is, in fact, one of concern and it has to do with the Portuguese community, which is a very large community, 300,000 or more Portuguese citizens. At the moment, all the information I’ve been able to obtain is that the community is fine, it’s calm, it’s serene," he said.

Jorge Pinto

Presidential candidate Jorge Pinto today called on the Portuguese government not to support what he considers to be an “illegal attack” by the United States on Venezuela and expressed concern about the Portuguese population in the country.

Speaking to journalists on the sidelines of a visit to the Graça Market in Ponta Delgada, Azores, Jorge Pinto argued that, “regardless of what one may think about Maduro and his regime”, “this is an illegal attack on international law that should concern everyone”.

Read more here...