Prime Minister Luís Montenegro (Partido Social Democrata, PSD) said that the police operation in Martim Moniz, in Lisbon, was "very important" to create "visibility and proximity" in policing and to increase the feeling of tranquility among Portuguese citizens, reported Expresso (December 20).
However, Eduardo Ferro Rodrigues, former president of the Assembleia da República (2015-2022) and secretary-general of the Partido Socialista (PS) (2002-2004) said that he was "in a state of shock" about the line-up as well as Prime Minister Montenegro's supportive statement. He highlighted the photograph "with dozens of people leaning against the walls in front of armed police, as if they were in a war."
The Public Security Police (PSP) insisted that the detaining of people up against the wall protected the general public, should one of those in the roundup have a weapon. The PSP lined up dozens of people, who faced and held the wall with outstretched arms, unable to move for more than an hour while they waited to be searched, on Rua do Benformoso, a Lisbon street in Largo do Martim Moniz, which is frequented by immigrants.
The Operation
In this "special crime prevention operation" carried out on December 19 in Largo do Martim Moniz and which closed Rua do Benformoso, two arrests were made, one for possession of a prohibited weapon (a bladed weapon) and another who was suspected of at least eight crimes of robbery.
The PSP said that it also seized 435 euros in cash, suspected of coming from illicit activities; seven batons (wood and iron); 17 envelopes with passport-size photos suspected of being used in illicit activities; 3,435 euros in cash; a passport and several documents suspected of aiding illegal immigration; 581.37 grams of drugs suspected to be hashish; a bladed weapon, and a mobile phone that was listed as stolen.
The PSP added that the operation took place in an area of Santa Maria Maior Parish, "where disorderly situations involving bladed weapons and other incidents related to assaults on physical integrity frequently occur".
The police operation was accompanied by a public prosecutor and six non-household search warrants were served.
"Unacceptable", Says Local Government
Miguel Coelho (PS), president of Santa Maria Maior Parish, called the PSP operation "completely unacceptable" and focused on an "ethnic community", reported Observador (December 29).
However, Carlos Moedas (PSD), mayor of Lisbon, emphasized that anyone who comes to Lisbon is a Lisboan, and everyone is respected equally. It is very important that this is clear."
Miguel Coelho said: "We have problems in Mouraria related to drug trafficking, (but) this action was only to create a certain false image that on Benformoso Street, there are all the criminals, when this is a peaceful and resilient community."
Both Miguel Coelho, president of Santa Maria Maior Parish, and Carlos Moedas, mayor of Lisbon, began calling for an increased police presence in the summer.
"We need more police (on beats)," said Carlos Moedas. "I continue to ask the government for more municipal police. Of the 200 men and women I asked for, I only got 20 more."
Miguel Coelho also advocated "more foot patrols, in the alleys and stairwells of the parish, at night, with undercover officers, with investigations and arresting people who are trafficking and consuming drugs."
Chega Influence
For former socialist leader, Eduardo Ferro Rodrigues, the government has come close to "a populist storm fueled by the extreme right", reported Expresso.
André Ventura, president of the populist right-wing Chega, said that there should be more operations like this one, reported Observador. The police must "show authority", he said, adding that Portugal "has been too tolerant in allowing the development of "bubbles of insecurity, instability and impunity".
Who is André Ventura?
Foreign Policy (January 26, 2021) wrote: “Ventura first appeared on Portugal’s political scene in 2017 as a candidate for the center-right Social Democratic Party (PSD) during regional elections in Loures, on the outskirts of the capital, Lisbon. Although he lost that election, Ventura made a name for himself as an outspoken politician with a penchant for fanning the flames of politically charged debates, such as those surrounding Roma encampments and immigration policy.
“By 2019, Ventura had enough political clout—and disagreements with the PSD—to form his own party . . . That year, Ventura secured a single seat in the parliament.
“It was the first time a candidate from a far-right party had gained power on the national stage, marking an end to the period of Portuguese exceptionalism to the populist sentiment gaining traction across Europe."
Chega won 12 out of 230 in the Assembleia da República in the 2022 snap election. In the snap election of March 2024, it won a total of 50 seats, making it the third largest party. Aliança Democrática (AD), composed of PSD and other parties and led by Luís Montenegro, won 80 seats, and the Partido Socialista (PS) won 78 seats, losing its absolute majority.
André Ventura commented on the police operation in Observador:
"We have to start sending out the signal that, whether it is a crime zone, an area with more foreigners, or an area with minorities, the police are not afraid and, therefore, when it is necessary to go there, they will go there. And it cannot be said that the police only go there because there are foreigners there."
Police-Killing of Odair Moniz
This attitude is in keeping with Chega's response to the police killing of Odair Moniz, 43, a Cape Verde-born Portuguese resident, after a car chase in Cova da Moura, Amadora, on the outskirts of Lisbon. Senior Chega lawmaker Pedro Pinto said that "if the security forces shot more to kill, the country would have more order", reported RTP News (October 26).
The death of Odair Moniz on October 21 led to a wave of unrest, unprecedented in the capital, in his Zambujal neighborhood in Amadora, and spread to six Lisbon municipalities over several days. There was looting and the arson of two buses. Garbage cans and vehicles were set on fire.
Many residents complained of a history of police violence in their multicultural neighborhoods.
In the historic city center on October 26, about 400 marched with Chega in support of the police, while thousands marched with rights group Vida Justa, reported Público (October 26).
There are conflicting details about the incident, which is under investigation by the Polícia Judiciária (PJ; Portuguese Criminal Investigation Police). The Judicial Police ruled out the possibility of racist motives in the death of the cafe owner this week, reported SIC Notícias (December 20). The investigation is expected to be concluded next month.
Portuguese Perception of Immigration Barometer
The Francisco Manuel dos Santos Foundation released a survey report on December 17 on the Portuguese perception of immigration. Pedro Góis, director of the Migration Observatory and one of the study's authors, warned that creating policies based on "wrong perceptions" is dangerous, Góis told Expresso (December 19).
Interestingly, 67 percent of respondents believe that foreigners increase crime as compared with 29 percent who do not believe it.
"There is no evidence of an increase in crime with more immigrants," said Góis.
Aliança Democrática (AD) and Chega voted on December 19 to limit access of non-resident foreigners to the SNS, the national health system, and the proposal was approved, reported Correio da Manhã (December 19).
There is a lack of data to justify limiting foreigners' access to the SNS, said Góis.
"This measure makes no sense, especially if we do not know who these foreigners are. It is likely that a large proportion of these medical services were provided to tourists or people passing through, a small proportion to irregular immigrants and another to regular immigrants who were, in fact, entitled to this right."
Another misconception revolves around Social Security:
"Social Security is an excellent example. Never before have immigrants contributed so much as in 2023. When (misinformation) says (immigrants) are getting more than what they pay, that is not true. When it says they are getting more than the Portuguese population, that is not true."
Portugal's History of Emigration
Ironic.
Portugal, a country of about 10 million, has a long history of emigration.
According to the web portal, Portuguese Government: Foreign Affairs:
“Portuguese communities around the world are one of the most important strategic assets of the Portuguese Foreign Policy and are the most significant display of global Portugal. . . .
"There are more than 2 million Portuguese emigrants around the world today, and if we take into account the descendants of Portuguese emigrants, the population with Portuguese origins in hosting countries would be around 5 million – more than 40 percent of the population residing in the national territory – a diaspora that reaches the five continents.
“Not only does Portuguese emigration remain a constant feature of our identity, as it continues to shape our imagination and our society, but it also constitutes a valuable cultural, political and economic heritage due to its size, diversity and geographic spread."
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