The leader of the PS/Azores, Francisco César, argued on Saturday that the region is “no better off” under the PSD/CDS-PP/PPM government, “however much we may hear long and pompous speeches” in an attempt to convince the Azoreans.
Francisco César, who was speaking in Vila Franca do Campo at the opening of the meeting of the Regional Commission, the highest deliberative body between Congresses, considered that the recent statements by the PSD President at the opening of the Congress reveal that “he lives in a totally alternative reality to the one the Azoreans live in.”
“The Azoreans don’t feel that they have more money in their pockets, that the public administration is more capable or that the government is giving them the answers to the problems they really have,” said the socialist.
Underlining that the PSD leader’s speech was made up of “a set of phrases, with some numerical data, many of them without comparative logic or real meaning, particularly for our regional economy”, Francisco César regretted that after four years of government “they are still talking about the previous government”.
But, in his speech, the Socialist regretted that the right-wing government rejoices in the possible “de-governmentalization of society” when “it has appointed hundreds of partisans, whom it has designated as technical experts,” or that it is proud of the value obtained in the export of agricultural products, “when in fact it is lower than what was achieved seven years ago by a PS government” or that it also talks about free crèches, “without mentioning that it was only possible as a result of a decision by the PS Government of the Republic.”
In terms of housing, Francisco César mentioned the announcement of the construction of 200 houses to point out that the difficulties experienced by families and young people in acquiring affordable housing are immense, stressing, in this regard, that the government has one of the highest amounts ever for housing, within the scope of the PRR, negotiated by the Socialist Party.
“But what’s more curious is that the part that concerned this government, which was to define the form, the priorities and the technical aspects, what we see is that it’s only earmarked for needy families, that there’s no response whatsoever for the middle class and that its implementation capacity, at the moment, is very low and it’s going to waste and probably have to return the amount earmarked for housing,” he said.

Lack of assistants, scholarship holders, and children without teachers.”
In education, the Socialist leader lamented that the government claims to be managing well when, in fact, “there is a lack of operational assistants, scholarship holders, children without teachers, and the distribution of tablets and computers to schools has been delayed.”
Stressing that this government can only justify its incapacity with the inheritance it has received, Francisco César took the opportunity to clarify this issue: “This government says that the PS was bad at managing, but at the same time, it admits that if it hadn’t been for the PS inheritance, it wouldn’t have been possible to lower taxes, increase the number of careers or create the Azores Tariff.”
But, he continued, “it is also false to say that they received less than the PS governments did.” According to the Socialist, “Between 2021 and 2024, this government benefited from 1600 million euros more revenue than in the previous four years, in other words, on average, this government had 400 million euros more revenue per year than the last PS legislature, and that’s not counting the increase in debt”.
“Businesses don’t get paid, entrepreneurs, displaced patients, cultural and sports associations don’t get anything and at the end of it all, what we’re seeing is the presentation of the successes of his government, which is to say that he doesn’t know the reality of the Azores and is completely oblivious to what can and should be done for our land.”
Stressing that the Socialist Party’s objective is to present solutions, Francisco César mentioned the approaching debate on the Regional Plan and Budget for 2025, recalling that the PS presented 11 measures to the Regional Government in an attempt to reach an agreement that would allow the PS to make these documents viable.


PS/A Regional Secretariat with around 70% renewal
On Saturday, the PS/Açores elected the members of the Regional Commission and the Regional Secretariat.
During the Regional Commission meeting, which took place at the Vila Franca do Campo Cultural Center in São Miguel, the Socialists elected the Socialist Sérgio Ávila to chair the Commission. It also comprises Pedro Melo, vice-president, and socialists Ângela Garcia and Ana Isabel Bettencourt as secretaries.
The Socialists also elected, with 81% of the vote, the composition of the Regional Secretariat, the party’s executive body. It is made up of 29 members, including Socialists from all the islands, the mayor of Lagoa, Cristina Calisto, MEP André Franqueira Rodrigues, and the mayor of Lajes do Pico, Ana Brum, as vice-presidents.
The PS/Azores Regional Secretariat has undergone a profound renewal, with only eight of the current members remaining: Miguel Fragoso, Renata Correia Botelho, Carlos Silva, Vítor Fraga, Alexandre Pascoal, Pedro de La Cerda, José Couto, Maria do Carmo Pimentel, Isabel Berbereira, Marília Vargas, Luís Leal, Mónica Oliveira, Berto Messias, Marco Martins, José Miguel Toste, Miguel Costa, Bárbara Chaves, José Ávila, José Gabriel Eduardo, José Silva, Isabel Teixeira, Liseta Vargas, Bruno Pacheco, Mariana Matos and Sandra Costa Dias.
The regional secretary of the organization is Humberto Bettencourt.
Meanwhile, the regional leader of the PS/Açoes, Cristina Calisto, has spoken out against the fact that the Prime Minister, Luís Montenegro, has not made a commitment to increase by 150 million euros funds to be transferred from the State Budget to the Region corresponding to the value of the 30% VAT differential withheld in the Region that the Government of the Republic considers to be State funds since the period of the troika through the amendment, at the time, of the Regional Finance Law.

in Correio dos Açores – Natalino Viveiros, director

Translated to English as a community outreach program from the Portuguese Beyond Borders Institute (PBBI) and the Modern and Classical Languages and Literatures Department (MCLL) as part of Bruma Publication and ADMA (Azores-Diaspora Media Alliance) at California State University, Fresno, PBBI thanks Luso Financial for sponsoring NOVIDADES.