Portugal has a prime minister and a president, where the prime minister holds most of the power, and the president's role is largely symbolic. The president's role is to create unity and enthusiasm towards the state, and Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa fills this role well. He's a grandfatherly figure, full of apparent wisdom, experience and concern for the people. But he's also a bit of a clown. It's hard to take him seriously, and a recent twist in the ongoing saga has revealed him to be corrupt as well.
It started with him expressing concern with the economy; a sensible position, given that extreme poverty is coming back to Portugal at an alarming rate. Then, he quoted Boris Johnson's latest mantra; that we must find ways to live with the disease. That too sounds sensible. However, that depends on what he means by "ways to live with it". If he means that we should give up on trying to control it, I'm all in. But if he means some new normal, I'm against it.
As it turns out, "to live with the disease" is doublespeak for "live with the vaccine". Marcelo is envisioning a nation full of sheep, getting their booster shots regularly from now on. He's an outspoken salesman for the vaccine. He wants everyone to take it, including little children. And just like that, his smile became an awful lot more creepy.
 |
| Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa |
By Presidenza della Repubblica, Attribution, Link
No comments:
Post a Comment