On Thursday, commentator Miguel Sousa Tavares considered that the controversial statements made by the President of the Republic, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, during a dinner with the Association of Foreign Press in Portugal, show that the head of state is "out of control" and has "verbal incontinence", becoming a "problem" for the country.

"I believe we have a problem with the President of the Republic. As if the problems we already have were not enough, now we have another problem because I believe he is out of control", he said in his usual commentary slot on CNN Portugal.

For the commentator, what was "most shocking about the issue of reparations for the 500 years of colonialism", when Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa stated that Portugal "has to pay", was the fact that the President of the Republic "brought up such a divisive topic on the eve of 25 April, which is a day of unity".

"The person who had the greatest responsibility to foster unity among the Portuguese people brought up a topic to divide the Portuguese people on the eve of the day. A topic that is very serious, that deserves a serious discussion, but that cannot be treated with such historical levity", he said.

Miguel Sousa Tavares also accused Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa of having been "offensive" towards the former prime minister, António Costa, by describing him as "slow" for being "oriental". "In doing so, he offended all the peoples of Asia in one fell swoop", he considered.

"I believe he [Marcelo] has reached a point of verbal incontinence where he believes everything is permitted. He says things without thinking", he said, reiterating that the President of the Republic is "out of control".

However, the commentator considered that the "problem" with Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa "was not foreseeable" because his first term was a "decompression" compared to his predecessor, Aníbal Cavaco Silva, and, therefore, "it would be expected that he would have enough sensitivity to maintain that record and not become - as he has become - a disruptive factor in political life and institutions".

"He himself is becoming a problem. This is not healthy, it is worrying", he stressed.

The statements in question were made by Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa at a dinner with foreign journalists on Tuesday night, during which he compared the current prime minister, Luís Montenegro, with his predecessor, António Costa.

For the President of the Republic, Montenegro has "rural behaviour", whereas António Costa is "slow because he is oriental".

At the same dinner, he stated that Portugal has to "pay the costs" of colonialism. "Are there actions that have not been punished and those responsible have not been arrested? Are there goods that have been looted and not returned? We will see how we can make amends for this", said Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa.

At the event, Rebelo de Sousa said that Portugal "assumes full responsibility" for the mistakes of the past and recalls that these crimes, including colonial massacres, had costs.

Leia Também: Marcelo received citizens in the official office of the Palácio de Belém (Portuguese version)