“We are faced with an increase in fuel prices, we will be faced with a new increase next week, [mas] The fuel we are buying now was purchased and paid for three or four months ago. It is an act of speculation, therefore fixing the price is essential”, he explained.
And he considered that “It’s like that in fuel, food, payments, it’s like that in everything” “We pay more and more, the State gives up revenue through tax cuts, and those who have millions and millions and millions of euros, like Galp, the banks, large distribution, what contribution do they make to face this problem? Zero”, he criticized.
Raimundo considered that “lowering taxes is important but it is not enough, it is not enough”, insisting that the solution to the increase in the cost of living resulting from yet another conflict involves “fixing prices, regulating prices”.
“There is no difficulty in the Government decreeing, given the emergency situation we are facing, the fixing and regulation of the prices of bank fees, installments, food and fuel and energy”, he defended.
The communist criticized the government’s position, considering that Portugal “shamefully associated itself” with the “aggression against Iran by the United States and Israel”.
The Government should “simply comply with the Constitution” and say that it cannot be “an accomplice in an act of aggression against a sovereign country”, he argued.
“And he didn’t do it, he did the opposite. Not only did he open the doors of the Lajes Base wide open for this operation, he also became politically associated with it, which is even more serious”, he criticized, calling on the Government to “condemn this aggression” in all the international forums in which it participates and “do everything to make it end”.
BE wants price fixing of essential goods
José Manuel Pureza, in turn, defended the fixing of prices for essential goods, in addition to an extraordinary tax on companies’ “obscene profits”, in the wake of the conflict in the Middle East.
“It was necessary for the Government to openly control fuel prices and to set the prices of essential goods, because those who are paying for this war are the ones who are seeing inflation on essential goods and fuels as a kind of war tax. People who already had a distressed life will become more distressed”, he stated.
The former deputy considered that “it is enough to have the political will to do so and the capacity, in parliament, to create majorities for this purpose”, indicating that the BE will be available to approve measures in this regard.
Speaking to Lusa and SIC before the protesters left, José Manuel Pureza also defended the adoption of “a form of additional taxation” on the “obscene, excessive” profits of companies and which “result from speculation resulting from this war”, considering that “it is a measure of justice for the rest of Portuguese society”.
“We will see how long this situation lasts, we will see how long this absolutely devastating effect on Portuguese society lasts. A responsible government should already be taking these measures”, he pointed out.
The BE coordinator also criticized the Government for the position it took regarding the military attack by Israel and the United States against Iran and challenged Luís Montenegro’s executive to “determinely leave that group of countries that sponsor this war, that support it”.
“What is at stake is something fundamental, which is a war against international law, a war against the United Nations, a war that is having devastating effects on the entire world and which is having devastating effects on our country, firstly on fuel prices and, subsequently, on the prices of essential goods. In other words, this war is being paid for by those who already have lives of distress in times of non-war, instead of it being paid for by those companies and those sectors that are making obscene profits from the war”, he defended.
Pureza also accused the prime minister of “always having his arms crossed, except when he uses them to applaud Donald Trump and his war allies”.
For peace and against war in the Middle East
Several hundred people demonstrated demanding an end to the threats and aggressions by the United States of America (USA) and Israel against Iran, in an initiative organized by the Portuguese Council for Peace and Cooperation.
Starting in Cidade Universitária, the protest continued minutes after 3 pm towards the Embassy of the United States of America, ending in Sete Rios.
“Peace yes, war no” were the dominant slogans chanted by the participants of the demonstration who, on a gray afternoon and in a light rain, continued towards Avenida das Forças Armadas shouting “With more weapons we will only go backwards”.
The posters of some protesters and the banners of participating organizations included calls for disarmament, the independence of Palestine and the end of interference in Venezuela and the blockade of Cuba, among others.
The demonstration, supported by more than 70 organizations under the motto “Peace, Sovereignty and Solidarity! An end to US threats and aggression!”, also aimed to challenge the Portuguese Government’s alignment “with confrontation, militarism and war”, according to the organizers.
Isabel, 79, told Lusa that she decided to participate in the protest because “something needs to be done”. After Gaza, now “they want to destroy Iran” given the attitude of Governments which, with the exception of Spain, “kneel before Trump”, he said.
Luan, 29 years old, came to “denounce Donald Trump’s fascist attacks against Latin America and the climate of war” in Europe, the Middle East and the world.
“It used to be Palestine, now they want half of Lebanon, I don’t know where this will end. Israel wants to rule the entire Middle East but it can’t be,” said Conceição, 78, expressing her indignation over the attack against Iran.
In Porto, at the same time, it was planned that the demonstration organized by the Portuguese Council for Peace and Cooperation would leave Batalha towards Trindade.
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