Carlão believes that there have always been racists in Portugal, but the extreme right “opened doors” for them to [racistas] if they assumed, noting, however, that there are opposite movements and that the country is safe for immigrants.
“These people exist, there are many, but there are many more good people”, the musician told Lusa, who performed on Monday night at the celebrations of Portugal Day, Camões and of Portuguese communities in Angola.
The musician raised in Almada, who was presented by the Portuguese ambassador in Luanda, Francisco Alegre Duarte, as a powerful symbol of modern Portugal and mixed-race culture, says that there has always been racism in Portugal, but the appearance of certain political actors has opened doors “for people to come out”. He gave as examples Trump, Bolsonaro and European far-right politicians “who say barbaric things and are not punished for it”, which helped many people feel comfortable to speak.
“These people have always been racist, they have always been xenophobic, now they think they have this legitimacy”, commented the artist, stating that, while on the one hand it is good to know who these people are, because “they have already shown their face”, on the other “it’s very scary because it’s not a fair fight”. Carlos Nobre, also Pacman in Da Weasel, pointed out that the far right “lies blatantly and distorts facts”, pointing out Chega who “lies every day”, lies that attract the less informed, which is “very dangerous” .
From Weasel (Carlão)
Rita Carmo
He highlighted, however, that there are also movements that go against this trend, noting that shortly after the elections that gave 50 deputies in Parliament to Chega, there was a huge turnout at the April 25th celebrations, “like no there had been for a long time.” Asked whether being an immigrant in Portugal today presents risks, he admits that far-right movements have made aggression “commonplace”, but considers that Portugal has not become unsafe.
“When people are unhappy, for various reasons, they hold on to what they have and there is a person there feeding them lies and they go after it”, said the artist to Lusa, contesting statements associated with emigration such as the lack of security, the theft of jobs or living off subsidies.
From Weasel (Carlão)
Rita Carmo
The rise of parties like Chega, but not only that, showed that “there are many people who are xenophobic and racist and afraid of emigration, afraid of difference, homophobic, sexist, sexist, there are There are all these people, but many more people who are completely against these people. Good people will prevail, we are not at that point where it is not safe”, he observed.
Born in Huambo, son of Cape Verdean emigrants who later settled in Portugal in 1975, when he was just two months old, Carlão confesses that he does not have “a strong connection to Angola”, remaining more close to his family origins in Cape Verde. “My parents were very happy here (in Angola), unfortunately they had to leave, it was a complicated time. I think that the next time I come back here I have to go to Huambo, the place where I was born.” There is “a lot of curiosity” about today’s Angola.
“I think it’s a country with gigantic potential, but it’s still coming out of the tragedy of the war that devastated everyone for many years. This marks generations, it doesn’t just mark the economy, the structures, but the very soul of the people. Angola has suffered a lot and continues to suffer. The hope is that this potential will be well channeled, well utilized with a fair society for all Angolans”, he hoped.
The lead singer of Da Weasel, a band he founded in 1993 and with which he enjoyed success, selling thousands of records, expressed “happiness” in his return to Angola, the country where he had already performed in 2006, expressing his desire to return “under other circumstances.” ¢nces”.
