The mayor of Ponta Delgada, Pedro Nascimento Cabral (PSD), considered this Thursday as “false and defamatory” the statements of the president of the Municipal Assembly (AM), also a Social Democrat, who resigned accusing the mayor of “disrespectful and aggressive behavior”.
In a statement sent by the municipality to the press, Nascimento Cabral considers false the statements of Maria José Duarte, who on Wednesday resigned from the presidency of AM claiming to have been “disrespected” by the mayor, after the reclassification in the Graça Market. .
“The statements of Maria José Duarte are absolutely false and defamatorycertainly caused by his political responsibility in the process of requalification of the Mercado da Graça”, says the municipality’s statement.
In her resignation, María José Duarte, who also led the City Council in the previous legislature, evoked an “unfortunate accident” that occurred on Monday at the preparatory meeting for the next AM, scheduled for this Thursday.
Former regional deputy Cláudio Almeida elected president of the AM of Ponta Delgada
“[Fui] approached in a disrespectful and aggressive manner by the mayor, Pedro Nascimento Cabral, who refused to be in the same room with me and even threatened to abandon the fate of the City Hall of Ponta Delgada”, he declared.
Nascimento Cabral “strongly repudiates” these statements and stresses that “the political conditions were not met” to hold a meeting “in which both participated simultaneously”, after María José Duarte addressed the current mayor in an “insulting manner” in the last AM extraordinary.
“The mayor, Pedro Nascimento Cabral, suggested that the meeting be held in two moments, one of them chaired by María José Duarte and the other chaired by himself, a suggestion that was immediately accepted by the municipal deputies and presidents of parish councils,” He says. , adding that the meeting took place at the PSD/Azores headquarters.
The leader of the largest municipality in the Azores also highlights that “above any political and partisan intrigue, the best interests of the citizens of Ponta Delgada will always be”.
The mayor of Ponta Delgada, Pedro Nascimento Cabral (PSD) revealed on August 16 that he was going to send the Mercado da Graça requalification project to the Public Ministry, to investigate possible responsibilities or harmful management of the previous executive, chaired by María José Duarte, Also Social Democrat.
In the Municipal Assembly, Nascimento Cabral considered that “what is at stake cannot be covered up under any supposed partisan interest or loyalty”, safeguarding that “what is happening in this process is very serious”.
The mayor pointed out that the contract was signed “three days before the municipal elections (September 23, 2021), considering that due to “pure negligence” the project will now have to be reviewed to contemplate the fire system, a process that is estimated to cost 500 thousand euros and will last for five months.
The then president of the Municipal Assembly of Ponta Delgada, Maria José Duarte expressed her “absolute repudiation” for the public words about the current president’s project on the Mercado da Graça, blaming him.
The former mayor said that it was demonstrated “clearly and unequivocally” that her executive had not “been aware that the fire safety project did not fully comply with the applicable legal and regulatory standards.”
Source: Observadora
