For Luís Marques Mendes, “politics contributed to inflaming” the situation in the last week, marked by riots in the Lisbon area, after the death of Odair Moniz precisely a week ago in Cova da Moura. In his usual Sunday comment space on the SIC, Marques Mendes maintained that “the security problem exists” and that there should be “more police on the streets.”

“What seems terrible to me is putting the cart before the horse,” he began by saying, in reference to the statements made during the week by party officials, specifically Chega and the Left Bloc. “Chega’s behavior is the worst of all,” he highlights. For Marques Mendes, the statements of the parliamentary leader, Pedro Pinto, and André Ventura, on which an investigation was opened by the PGR, were “something from another world, which is not said either at the coffee table, nor in jest, much less on television by a political leader. On a human level it is institutionalized indecency and on a political level it is an arsonist. “It is not acceptable.”

PGR opens investigation into statements by Ventura and Pedro Pinto regarding the death of Odair Moniz

The commentator also criticized Mariana Mortágua’s party. “It doesn’t seem to me that the Left Bloc has done very well, considering from the beginning that it is a racist attitude. Everything must be investigated fairly and rigorously. “If there are serious circumstances, they must be punished,” he defended.

Even so, for the commentator, the majority of the parties acted with a “sense of responsibility” regarding the events of the week. The lack of respect that followed the death of Odair Moniz, shot by a PSP agent, “has no possible excuse. “These are not protests, they are crimes.” For Marques Mendes, “the public perception in the early days was that the State was failing and the security forces were not efficient in either action or communication.”

The commentator praised the demonstration that took place this Saturday in Lisbon, organized by the Just Life movement, “in which people in a civic manner, without riots, showed their indignation and solidarity.

Without incident and transformed into a political battle. The two demonstrations in Lisbon a week after the death of Odair Moniz

Marques Mendes also left “two reflections” on security and social integration. Citing figures from the latest annual internal security report, which “pointed to a worsening of the situation,” Marques Mendes recalled that “at that time, the national command of the PSP came to say that there should be no more police on the streets.” And the Minister of Internal Administration came to cover this. “I think it’s nonsense.”

Given the data that points to an increase in the number of crimes, the commentator highlights that “the problem exists” and to solve it “what is needed is greater visibility of the police on the street, which helps deter crime.” , in addition to a reinforcement of video surveillance. “And more Minister of Interior Administration.” For the commentator, there has been “lack of leadership capacity.”

On the social issue, Marques Mendes left a “suggestion” to the Government. “A consultative body bringing together ministries, security forces, residents’ associations and local authorities should be created to discuss social cohesion and integration on a permanent basis and not only during crises.”

Additional pension increases should be “considered”

Luís Marques Mendes also spoke about the increase in pensions, which will be carried out in January through the legal formula. Thus, pensions up to 1,019 euros will increase by 3.1%. In the next step, from 1,019 euros to 3,056 the increase will be 2.6% and above 3,056 euros to 6,111 the increase will be 2.35%. Between 2024 and 2025, pensions will have registered a cumulative increase of 9.1%, above the inflation accumulated in the two years, which is 4.9%. For Marques Mendes, it is still “little.”

The commentator recalled that the previous Government decided, for the lowest pensions, to apply an extra increase of 10 euros. “Perhaps a similar hypothesis can now be considered,” says Marques Mendes. “The expected Social Security surplus is very large this year and the fight against poverty must be a priority, because pensioners are some of the most vulnerable in society. Now that the debate on the State Budget begins, perhaps it would be good to consider this possibility,” said the commentator.

Local authorities will be “very unpredictable”

The commentator also anticipated the local elections of September 2025, considering that they will be “very unpredictable.” For Marques Mendes, there is likely to be a “wear and tear” of the PCP, the “Chega effect” that will “compete in strength”, despite the commentator predicting that it will not win the chambers, and the fact that a third of The presidents of the current chamber reach the term limit.

The most predictable cases in the media will be six, according to the SIC commentator. In Lisbon, “AD can be reinforced with a coalition with IL but there can also be a left front.” In Porto, Rui Moreira’s leadership ends and the “classic cycle” between PS and PSD should return. In Coimbra, the president of the AD “has work to present”, but the PS will present Ana Abrunhosa, who could be a “strong” candidate. In Setúbal, the CDU “runs the serious risk of losing”, as in Évora. And in Sintra, Basílio Horta will have to resign due to term limitations, which “will be a case,” predicts Marques Mendes.