Talk:2006 Portuguese presidential election

message: With all the effort Cavaco Silva put into NOT being connoted with any party, shouldn't the party support section refer that he wasn't officially supported by CDS/PP or PSD? 87.196.75.51 16:31, 23 January 2006 (UTC)
thread_title:  Political Affiliations 

message: Three changes seem necessary: 
- it doesn't seem fair to include Soares's age since none of the other candidates has that mention. Furthermore, it has been used as an argument against him.
- Francisco Louçã is not, officially, the leader of Bloco de Esquerda, but rather the Political Coordinator (although he's been regarded by the media as the leader, it is not officially so.)
- Since all the parties are translated to English, Bloco de Esquerda should be changed to Leftwing Bloc.
--Ricardo Lafuente 16:37, 14 December 2005 (UTC)
thread_title:  Soares & Louçã 

message: It should be noted that blank and invalid ballots don't count at all. If you sum all the %s you get more than 100%. It should also be noted that there are two parishes waiting for new elections. Pedro.Moreira 02:44, 23 January 2006 (UTC)
thread_title:  Blank and Invalid Ballots 

message: I was in Portugal in November and part of December '05 and followed up the discussions and statements of almost every candidate. I was surprised with the attitude of Cavaco e Silve regarding the comments from Mário Soares: he kept his cool and didn't even bother to create a debate on issues raised by Soares, as it was not even worthwhile to discuss them!! Fantastic leadership!!
Mário Soares was a waste of time and money. I recall one incident during his election was there was a heated altercation with a local peasant that accused Soares of traitor and thief. It was an election!! The gentleman had his right to express his opinion!! He was free to do so! Soares said that the man was mentally retarded, or whatever, and he wouldn't bother to challenge the guy in court. A couple of days later, Soares said that he as going to sue him in court. What a pathetic figure!!
I share the same feeling about Soares: I feel he is a sell-out!! The way he handled the negotiationsd over Angola and Mozambique independence; the way Portugal walked out of Timor it is more than enough proof that Soares is not a Portuguese that respected 500 years of Portuguese history on the world!!.
Being the second generation born & bread in Mozambique, I wanted my country independence from Portugal sincer my junior high school days!! I wanted all political parties involved in negotiating the Mozambique independence, including Frelimo. But, NEVER NEVER hand over 500 years of history on a silver plate to Frelimo to DRESTROY the country!!
As a true AFRICAN ( I am white, but an African at heart is colour blind!!) I looked at Angola as a last resort where I can put my roots as a AFRICAN! I ventured into Angola in September 1975, 2 months before Angola's independence! So, legally and by rights STILL a Portuguese territory! 
Yes, I was involved in the fight against MPLA and afterwards the Cubans, all the way from Pereira de Eca till Novo Redondo!! I spent 6 months in Angola. But, I'm not write about those 6 months detail by detail. I just want to refer to what happen in Mocamedes! After Sá da Bandeira we headed towards Mocamedes and got to the outskirts of the town at about 4.30 p.m.. It was unwise to enter Mocamedes as we didn't know the strength of MPLA forces in town. We decided to camp, overlooking the town and organize our approach early in the morning. To our surprise at around 6.00 p.m. a Portuguese military vehicle, with a white flag come to us. It was a paratrooper captain, a sargent and a couple of other parabats. He came to inform us that there was a "company"of Potuguese parabats in town, and they were in the old DGS's quarters, overlooking the harbour. After a little while we saw a Portuguese Air Force plane taking off from Mocamedes and through our 'intelligence'we learnt they were evacuating MPLA commanders out of town!!
Anyway, we hold the parabts overnight and told them they were free to go back after we enter town. BUT!! when we entered town, without any fights as MPLA had ran away, I WAS SHOCKED to see that hundreds of wooden containers at the harbour were open broken all thousands of goods left scattered all over the harbour! Now, these were containers left with the Portuguese authorities to be repatriated to Portugal that belonged to thousands of famiies that were forced to leave Angola. We were told that MPLA soldiers (terrorists) were breaking the boxes right in front of the Portuguese parabats, and stealing the little that those families were trying to salvage!! Can you believe it!!?? And this is the legacy of Mário Soares!! as chief (?) negotiator of Angola, Mozambique independence!!
 
Besides that, we all know what happened in Timor!! So, let's forget Soares and his "camarilha". 
To CAVACO SILVA!! Dear Sir : you can make it happen!! You can change PORTUGAL!! You need guts! Not expertise, as YOU ARE AN EXPERT!!! YOU NEED GUTS!! YOU NEED BALLS!!
I was in Macau just 3 weeks ago. I was amazed how we have "abandoned" that beautiful place. I am not talking about "not to hand over Macau back to China, etc, etc" Not at all!! I just noticed How sad the people, the Portuguese, the Macaenses, were when they saw me with a Portuguse T-shirt and cap walking around!! They felt neglected!! Do the Portuguese know the business potential within the ex- portuguese territories!!??
Portugal has the power to be one of the richest countries on this earth, just by using its 500 years of overseas history and hold hands with so many willing partners around the globe!! I am including here Goa, Damao and Diu, Sao Tomé e Príncipe, Timor!!!
Lots of history! Lots of potential!! 
God Bless you CAVACO SILVA!!--213.42.2.22 05:03, 23 January 2006 (UTC)
thread_title:  Great Winner: Cavaco e Silva!!