The prime minister encourages safe voting in the early hours of the presidential elections in Portugal

MADRID, 24 One. (EUROPA PRESS) –

The Prime Minister of Portugal, António Costa, has encouraged the population to cast their vote in the presidential elections this Sunday despite the threat of the coronavirus pandemic, right now in full swing in the country, while recalling the need to comply with the safety regulations stipulated when containing the pandemic.

At the moment, the most notorious consequence of the pandemic is being the long voting lines in some polling stations, although there is no record of any other difficulty.

“Voting is a fundamental right and an exercise of citizenship. Not to do so is to let others decide our future,” Costa has made known through a message on his Twitter account.

The prime minister recalled that the elections are taking place between unprecedented security measures, with disinfection equipment in all polling stations in the country.

However, Costa recalled the four essential measures for a safe vote: “Wear a mask, maintain a safe distance, disinfect your hands and use your own pen”, before remembering that the participation of the people “is essential to strengthen our democracy”.

Among the first candidates for the Presidency – for which the current president, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, starts as the undisputed favorite – who has cast her vote is the candidate of the Left Bloc, Marisa Matías, who has not perceived logistical problems of consideration.

“I have spent 40 minutes in the queue but I have seen a lot of organization. I did not see anyone upset by the queue, only people mobilized to vote,” he said in comments after depositing his ballot in Coimbra. “I maintain and appeal to people to come and vote. Voting is safe and by voting we demonstrate our pride in democracy and freedom,” he added in his statement, collected by the Portuguese newspaper ‘Publico’.

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