Qatar? “Portugal should not be represented at the highest level”
ONE The former socialist minister, Alexandra Leitão, considered that the “highest figures of the Portuguese State” should not travel to Qatar to watch Portugal’s matches in the World Cup, which started on Sunday.
In his comment space on CNN Portugal, the ex-governor leaves harsh criticisms of the competition being held in that country by FIFA, referring to “the great suspicions of corruption and bribery” in the process of awarding the World Cup to Qatar.
“Qatar is a state that has Islamic law, with all that it represents, as described for women and for homosexuals, but also, in particular, it has a caste system, in which only nationals are citizens – who are about 10% of the country’s population – and the rest are migrants, who are treated in a situation of servitude, practically slavery. What we are witnessing is an autocratic, xenophobic and homophobic state, which, from the point of view of human rights, deserves no respect”, says Alexandra Leitão.
The football World Cup has been marked by several controversies, including the exploitation of migrants, whose documents and negotiations are taken away in very precarious situations, under extreme heat and long hours.
For all this, says Alexandra Leitão, the competition should not be held in Qatar, adding that it is estimated “according to The Guardian, that 6,500 people were killed in the construction of the World Cup infrastructure”. However, “Amnesty International has a report in which it speaks of 15,000 deaths, so we are talking about a very serious situation”.
“For all this, Portugal should not be represented at the highest level. This has nothing to do with the Portuguese national team, but I think that the President of the Republic, the Prime Minister and the President of the Assembly of the Republic should not travel – to Qatar”.
It should be recalled that, last week, the Prime Minister stated that Portuguese political leaders waiting for the Football World Cup in Qatar, support the national team and do not violate human rights or dismiss women in that country.
“The world championship is where it is. We all have a position on what Qatar is, but what makes our team be in the world championship is for being one of the few that managed to be qualified”, began by claiming António coast.
Afterwards, the prime minister separated politics and football, keeping the idea of Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, himself and Augusto Santos Silva watching Portugal games in Qatar.
“The world championship is there [no Qatar] and when we go there we will not safely support the Qatari regime, the violation of human rights in Qatar and demonstrate of women in Qatar. When we go there, we are going to support the national team, the team of all Portuguese people, the team that wears the flag, “she maintained.
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