The prime minister said on Friday that Portuguese political leaders will be at the World Cup in Qatar “to support the national team and not the violation of human rights or discrimination against women”.
Position defended by António Costa, in a joint press conference with the elected president of Brazil, Lula da Silva, in São Bento, after being questioned on the controversy between the President of the Republic, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, the prime minister himself and the President of the Assembly of the Republic will travel to Qatar to accompany the Selection commanded by Fernando Santos.
«The World Cup is where it is and it is what it is. We all have a position on Qatar, but what makes our selection in the competition is to be one of those who have managed to qualify,” underlined António Costa.
Subsequently, the Chief Executive separated politics and football, maintaining the idea of Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, himself and Augusto Santos Silva, president of the Assembly of the Republic, watching Portugal’s matches in the Middle Eastern country.
«The World Cup is in Qatar and when we go there we will certainly not support the regime, the violation of human rights and the discrimination against women. We will support the national team, the team of all Portuguese who carry our flag,” she said.
However, the chief executive has gone even further in defense of this principle, linked to “unconditional support” for Cristiano Ronaldo and company. «We support in Qatar, France, India, China or Russia. We always cheer wherever the national team is. And we are always with our national team, because it carries our flag », he underlined.
