Accompanied by the party's coordinator, Mariana Mortágua, Catarina Martins stressed that the Bloco "was the first party in Portugal to strongly denounce the oligarchy of Vladimir Putin [president of the Russian Federation] and that regime" and that it has always defended "the right to self-determination of the Ukrainian people" and the integrity of its territory, with support to defend itself.

"But I would like to remind you that not all parties have the same position as the BE and we do not accept cynicism. We remember that a few months before the invasion of Crimea by Russia, the PSD/CDS-PP government was selling 'gold' visas to Russian oligarchs. At that time, Cotrim de Figueiredo was president of Turismo de Portugal, worked very well with the PSD and CDS that sold 'gold' visas to Putin's oligarchy", she accused.

In addition to these criticisms of the IL candidate, Catarina Martins recalled that the current far-right government in the Netherlands "is only in government because it has the support of the Dutch liberals".

"The BE has no lack of clarity on this matter. Not all parties can say the same", she stressed.

Asked about what she would say to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who is in Portugal today, Catarina Martins replied that she would express her solidarity and "commitment to a path to peace that allows the Ukrainian people and the integrity of the territory of Ukraine to be protected".

As for how to reconcile the requests for military equipment made by the Ukrainian head of state to defend himself and the halt to the military escalation, Catarina Martins replied that Ukraine needs support but at the same time a "strategy to build peace" is needed.

"President Zelensky said in 2022 that he would be willing to negotiate Ukraine's neutrality in order to maintain the integrity of its territory and have peace. The European Union (EU) did nothing at the time, from our point of view it did wrong. The EU has never presented itself as a mediator in the conflict, it has always waited for others to do so and the EU must have more responsibilities", she argued.

Moments before, in a conversation entitled "In the European Parliament, Women for Peace", with the participation of writer and journalist Pilar del Rio, actress Teresa Coutinho and Palestinian researcher Shahd Wadi, Catarina Martins extended her criticism of European diplomacy also regarding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Catarina Martins accused the European Union of "financing the genocide" in the Gaza Strip by maintaining an association agreement with Israel and insisted on applying economic sanctions to that country, similar to what was done with Russia after the invasion of Ukraine, facing the invading powers "where it hurts".

Pilar del Rio expressed her confidence in Catarina Martins, classifying her as a "modern, brave, determined woman" and quoted her husband and writer, José Saramago, who died in 2010, joining the appeals for peace: "Humanity is not a rhetorical abstraction, it is suffering flesh and anxious spirit, and it is also an inexhaustible hope. Peace is possible if we mobilize for it. In the consciences and in the streets".

[News updated at 13:36]

Read Also: Catarina Martins accuses Bugalho of cynicism about women's rights (Portuguese version)

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