Enough asked Vox for clarification on a map with Portugal “attached” by Spain | Story
The leader of Chega revealed Wednesday that he asked Vox for “clarification” about the map shared on social networks by the Spanish party, where he used an image of the Philippine dynasty to show Portugal annexed by Spain.
“We are in contact with Vox, we are asking for formal clarifications about this, because, regardless of the historical facts, it can harm relations between countries and between parties. What we hope this time is to obtain a final statement of why, regardless of the historical reasons behind it”, emphasizes André Ventura.
Ventura spoke at Passos Perdidos, in the Assembly of the Republic, after having presented his re-candidacy to the party’s leadership, having pointed out that, with regard to the image shared by Vox, “facts” should be distinguished from “intentions”, advancing that the “facts are evident”.
“It’s about showing a map that reveals a historical period during the 17th century [Portugal foi anexado por Espanha entre 1580 e 1640], in which the Filipino dynasty is also dominating Portugal and, therefore, Portugal was, at that time, part of that Spanish domination”, he stressed.
The leader of Chega said that, being a “historical fact” – “in which Portugal was in fact badly, and unfortunately, under Spanish rule” – the situation is different from what happened about a year ago, when Vox had also already shared an image where a part of Portugal was annexed by Spain.
At the time, André Ventura had demanded an apology from the Spanish nationalist party – which never normalized – recalling now that, after Vox was questioned on the subject when he was in Portugal, he made it clear that “it was a closed subject” and that “it was not even realized at the time how big it was”.
Stressing that, currently, the situation is different, “because there is an institutional relationship” between the two parties – the leader of Chega was this weekend in Madrid, where he spoke at a Vox event –, André Ventura stated that, in this case, “there is no question of annexation nor any question of subtraction of the territory”, contrary to what happened a year ago.
“This is a detailed historical period, but it could have been avoided, deviated from having been avoided, specifically because it is historically known that there is a very strong relationship between Portugal and Spain” on this subject, he indicated.
In this sense, the president of Chega said that he is trying to “know what happened and how it happened and, once these intentions are perceived”, he will demand “naturally that this image is removed from circulation and that Vox does not sponsor the these situations, regardless of their historical nature”.
“We will demand clarification [e] we will again demand, if necessary, an apology because for us the territory is sacred and the Portuguese nation is sacred”, he indicated.
On Tuesday, Vox released a poster alluding to the Day of Hispanity, which was then commemorated, in which Portuguese territory is part of Spain, as are the former Portuguese colonies.
“Spain has a lot to celebrate and nothing to regret. On a day like today, 529 years ago, Columbus discovered America and began Hispanity, the greatest work of twinning carried out by a people in universal history”, said the party in a message that accompanies the image published on social networks.
In the center of the image is a map that marks in red former Spanish crown possessions around the world, including Portugal, all of Latin America, much of North America and the African coasts of the Atlantic and Indian Ocean, including what is now Angola , Cape Verde, Guinea-Bissau and Mozambique, among other countries.
At the top, a flag with Portuguese arms, beside the Spanish royal Philippine shield, during the 60-year period of Portugal’s annexation by Spain (1580-1640), in which Portuguese arms were part of the coat of arms of the Spanish crown.
