‘I have no home. They will have a mosque ‘. Revolt explains victory of the arrival in Sintra

Upon arriving at the Mercês Tapada, in Sintra, one can quickly see why to be considered a “Caldeirão de Cultura”. Here people live from at least 27 different nationalities from African countries such as Guinea, Senegal, or Gambia, but also from Asian countries such as Bangladesh, India or Pakistan.

But they also live Portuguese, and most voted for the arrival, which won for the first time in this county. «We live the reality of the country, which is what Portuguese politicians do not live. Those who live in these zones know and live the reality of immigrants, crime, confusion »says Pedro Lopes, militant of the arrival and resident in the county for over 30 years. « If you are here half an hour you realize the amount of immigrants who walk here all day long and do nothing and do nothing. »

The tapada is part of the parish of Algueirão Mem-Martins, a land that saw born André Ventura, and where now it arrives was the most voted political party. But the turn on the right was not girded only to this parish. If in 2022, the arrival had just over 9% of the votes in the municipality of Sintra, in these elections, won more than 50,000 voters, 26% of the votes. Already the PS, which occupied the first place, was kicked to third, reducing practically to half the electorate.

Mosque Construction generates revolt

Without a single poster from the locality, the reasons that led to this turnaround to the voters. Those who trusted André Ventura justified the vote with local problems related to immigration, insecurity, housing and health. But not everyone knows the policies that arrives for these areas.

Carlos Barbosa, resident of Tapada das Mercês, assumes that he voted for the second time in the legislatures because « It is in protest and tired of the other system. »

«Something has to change. Nowadays there are no rules for anything. We have a hospital that was inaugurated in April last year and soon after it joined works », It starts by explaining. About being satisfied with the result of the elections, he points out: «Satisfied we are never. For me, I could rule any, but they govern to the people and not to themselves.

Next to the Mercês Train Station are heard multiple accents and it is not difficult to find women in burca and members of the Islamic community, which in the last decade alone, has grown 47% in Sintra.

«These people who come here in excess also do not respect women. There are many women here to pass by, just see their eyes. Do you want this for your country? »asks Pedro Lopes, who adds that «People are also completely angry with the mosque that is being built with money from a European fund ».

The mosque in question is effectively in the process of construction by the Islamic community of Tapada das Mercês and will also include a school and community center. But as for the back of PRR, these only «They are being used for the construction of the kitchen and social cafeteria that will serve for the most disadvantaged population of the municipality of Sintra»operating in the same building, according to the Islamic Foundation of Palmela.

The information also contradicts the publication shared by André Ventura in the X, in February, with the title: “Funds of PRR_vão serve to build mosques in Portugal”.

« They have everything and we have nothing »

For Maria Helena Cabral, resident in the county for about nineteen years, insecurity in the region is also one of the reasons that led to vote arrives. «I am very afraid because these Indians just look at us women. I at night I don’t walk here on the street »confides to our newspaper.

«What revolts me here is that they have everything and we could not have anything»continues to tell, already tears in the eyes: «I have no home, they do not help us. I am living in Amadora, in the house of a niece. It’s very difficult, I have no privacy. Before I lived here in an annex full of moisture.

Desperate and unanswered, and after years of voting in the Socialist Party, assumes that now «Only vote for the arrival»:

«I liked to meet André Ventura so much. I like him very much. I think he was going to change this a lot. I really sorry for him not having won the elections »says Maria Helena, adding that she already thinks only about the victory of Rita Matias, candidate of arrives in the Chamber of Sintra, in the municipalities in September or October. « God wants her to win! »

Vote in arrival also comes from outside

But not only Portuguese is the arrival of the arrival. Maíra, a 34 -year -old Brazilian immigrant, also assumes he had voted in the André Ventura party because of proposals for immigration.

«Immigration policy should be more closed. 20 years ago it was harder, but we could do everything and we walked more regulated. Not now, it seems that the door has opened, everything came in and ‘dawn’. It shouldn’t be like this »critic. « There are many people for little public transportation, security is getting worse … the other day they killed a person here. »

Across the street, to the counter of one of the main noishes in the area is Alan, Brazilian, resident in Portugal for three years, and one of the more than 50,000 voters of arrives in the region. «I voted for it because you can see that they are trying to improve something. Crime here is increasing a lot.

Despite the complaints of insecurity, the current mayor of Sintra, Basilio Horta, has already denied the increase in crime. In an interview with Sic_noticia In April stated that « Violent crime in Sintra is not increasing, despite the exponential increase of the immigrant population in the county. »

“Immigrants are equal to us in terms of crimes, it is not because they are immigrants who commit crimes. It is an absurd idea. Of course there are criminal immigrants, of course there is, just like natural criminals», The mayor highlighted.

Certainly, for many of the arrival voters, the rules do not seem to be the same for Portuguese and foreigners. Pedro Cardoso (fictitious name), owner of an establishment in the region that was not to be identified, says he only voted for ‘protest’, because he is fed up with PS and PSD policies. One reason, he says, is the lack of supervision to establishments detained by immigrants. “A gentleman from Pakistan or India bought this coffee next door and heard it to propose to a girl to work seven days a week, twelve hours a day, by a salary of 500 euros. Of course she refused. Now there are some boys working for him, who all live in a garage.

“I have to pay at least the minimum salary, discount social security, have occupational accident insurance, pay subsidies, etc. With them, it’s all on the fringes of the law », criticized.