President Chega said on Tuesday that he would use all “legal tools” to prove his innocence and said he did not understand civil disobedience prosecutionfollowing dinner-rally in Braga…

We will use all legal instruments to demonstrate our innocence and good faith in this process, and at the same time, we will definitely oppose. “– supported André Ventura in a video message for the press.

On Tuesday, prosecutors charged former presidential candidate André Ventura with a crime of simple civil disobedience for organizing a campaign rally dinner in Braga during a state of emergency in January.

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In accordance with the request of the Prosecutor of the Republic of Braga on 28 July, to which Lusa had access, the Chega leader was subjected to a measure of compulsion to establish his identity and residency.

The former presidential candidate said he was aware of the indictment in question on Tuesday, which “surprised him.”

It seems strange to me, we found this accusation strange, especially after we passed all the elements to the prosecutor’s office in order to demonstrate not only the nature of the obvious political event that was the act of the campaign, but also the contours of its implementation. “– he asserted.

Ventura says he does not understand the accusations, pointing out that “sometimes it really does feel like political persecution.”

Chega and I will not stop taking political action, but as much as the government of Antonio Costa wants the pandemic to silence all of us and stop political events, we will continue to do so. We will continue to do this in restaurants, support restaurants, support hotels, support trade, because the Portuguese economy cannot stop and Portugal cannot stop. “, he defended himself.

For Ventura, this is a day that “does not justify justice.” The leader also left a “strong hug” to all the participants in the dinner, the structure and all the “militants and enthusiasts” in Braga.

We have always tried to comply with the rules, but the rule of law does not end, politics does not end, and Antonio Costa will not laugh or worry as long as this model of government persists in Portugal. ”, concludes.

The facts in question refer to the night of January 17, during the presidential campaign of the presidential candidates, at the Solar do Paço restaurant in Tebos on the outskirts of Braga.

In addition to the MP, Rui Sousa, the national representative of the presidential candidate, Filipe Melo, president of the Braga district of the party that “actually served as the candidate’s representative” in the district, and the owners and managers of the restaurant in question, Secundino Azevedo and Teresa Azevedo.

The offense of disobedience cited by the prosecutor’s office is punishable by one year in prison or 120 days in a fine.