Alijó, Portugal, Jan. 6, 2026 (Lusa) - Presidential candidate Gouveia e Melo on Tuesday accused António José Seguro, as former leader of the PS, of having gone beyond the “troika” without any need, because there was a PSD/CDS majority, and of not having defended the socialist area.
Gouveia e Melo reacted in this way, in statements to journalists at the Feira dos Reis in Vila Verde, in the municipality of Alijó, after being confronted with the fact that António José Seguro had said that it was not possible to choose a candidate for Belém without experience, who would have to learn how to be President of the Republic.
The former Chief of Staff of the Navy countered that he has no experience of "party intrigue" and that he is not "hesitant", afraid to make decisions or someone who takes refuge in vague speeches.
He also targeted António José Seguro's political past as PS secretary-general between 2011 and 2014.
"In the past, he did not defend his own area, he did not defend the interests of the people who voted for him. A few years ago, the people who voted for him wanted him to defend certain types of concepts, rights, and he did not defend them. He went beyond the “troika” and there was no need for that," said the admiral.
Gouveia e Melo pointed out that there was then "a majority in the PSD/CDS government" in the parliament, "a majority that did not need his support for anything".
"And when it comes to experience, I have no experience of party intrigue. I don't. If that's the experience you're looking for, please, it's not me. I also have no experience in political lobbying or interest lobbying," he added.
Speaking to journalists, the former Chief of Staff of the Navy considered that the next President of the Republic must bring "added value" to the country, in an “explosive” international context and with a "balkanised" political landscape.
"We cannot have hesitant candidates, roundabout candidates who say nothing and whose only words are generalities and platitudes. Excuse me for putting it this way," said the admiral, in a new criticism of the former secretary-general of the PS.
Gouveia e Melo also refused to respond to the opinion piece by former head of state Cavaco Silva in which he denounced the existence of candidates who seek to appropriate Sá Carneiro's legacy. On this point, the admiral noted that on Monday, in Viseu, he criticised precisely those who seek to appropriate the symbol of Sá Carneiro.
"Now, I don't want to talk about the past. I want to talk about the present and the future. The world is no longer the world it was 20 years ago, and I am not running against former President Cavaco Silva," he said.
In this context, he made a point of emphasising his principle that the Presidency of the Republic "is not a partisan position".
"The president does not go there to work for party A, party B or party C. The President of the Republic works for all Portuguese people, for the people, to unite the population and not to engage in the divisive logic of party politics," he concluded.
He then made an indirect reference to one of his opponents, whom he did not identify: "If there is a candidate who is scared and who is bringing everything and anything to the table, it is certainly not me."
In his statements, the admiral also sought to highlight the complexity of the current international and national situation, with the recent growth of Chega.
"For the first time, the country has three major parties, with practically the same percentage of votes. The country is no longer left/right, it is a much more complex, more multipolar country, which also reflects influences from abroad," he argued.
He then mentioned that US President Donald Trump had told him that "Europe has to change, and that Europe has to change not only in terms of defence, which we agree with, but also in political terms".
"The next President of the Republic cannot be a puppet of the government, he is not there to perform a governmental function, to help the government, but neither is he there to oppose the government," he warned.
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