André Ventura

Statements by Ventura and other Chega members following the death of Odair Moniz led to a complaint signed by more than 120,000 people and a criminal investigation (inquérito-crime).

State of the evidence

complaint and investigation documented

Legal status — source text

investigation still ongoing in April 2026; Ventura had not been formally designated a suspect (arguido) according to available information

Attribution

responsibility limited to his own remarks

Ventura and Rita Matias disclosed the names of children described as foreign nationals at a state school, claiming they were taking places away from Portuguese children.

State of the evidence

disclosure and investigation documented

Legal status — source text

investigation ongoing in April 2026; no charges reported

Attribution

direct responsibility for his involvement in the disclosure

Several associations referred videos by Ventura targeting the Roma community and Clóvis Abreu to prosecutors, alleging discrimination or incitement to hatred.

State of the evidence

complaints and investigation documented

Legal status — source text

investigation opened in 2025; further complaint in 2026; no conviction as at 31 August 2026

Attribution

direct personal responsibility for the videos

Posters including the slogan 'Os ciganos têm de cumprir a lei' prompted hundreds of complaints. The civil court ordered their removal, and the Court of Appeal upheld the decision.

State of the evidence

posters, judgment and appeals documented

Legal status — source text

civil court and Court of Appeal ordered removal; criminal case closed without further action; constitutional appeal announced

Attribution

direct responsibility, as Ventura acknowledged responsibility for the posters

The 2021 campaign accounts were found to contain irregularities, including unrecorded expenditure and accounting inconsistencies; an overall fine of 3,500 euros was imposed.

State of the evidence

irregularities and Constitutional Court decision documented

Legal status — source text

ECFP sanctioned Ventura; Judgment 349/2026 dismissed his appeal

Attribution

personal responsibility as candidate under the applicable legal framework

A report on presidential candidates attributed 88.5% of the 26 identified disinformation cases to Ventura's campaign, including some content using generative AI.

State of the evidence

ERC/LabCom report documented

Legal status — source text

content analysis and ERC proceedings; no general criminal conviction

Attribution

campaign/personal responsibility for the publications analysed

IL lodged a complaint after Ventura entered and filmed rooms reserved for its parliamentary group without permission. The Speaker referred the matter to the competent committee.

State of the evidence

complaint and referral to the Transparency Committee documented

Legal status — source text

complaint under examination; no final sanction as at 31 August 2026

Attribution

direct responsibility for the alleged entry and filming; final classification pending

Chega proposed chemical castration for certain perpetrators of sexual abuse of minors. The CSM considered the measure contrary to human dignity and 'inhuman and cruel'. Ventura continued to defend it in 2025.

State of the evidence

proposal and negative opinion of the CSM documented

Legal status — source text

proposal not adopted

Attribution

direct political responsibility

Several Chega conventions and internal elections were invalidated. One decision specifically identified an unconstitutional concentration of powers in the figure of party president André Ventura.

State of the evidence

several Constitutional Court decisions documented

Legal status — source text

invalidations upheld; Ventura's final appeal concerning the disputed party bodies dismissed in 2025

Attribution

political and statutory responsibility as party president; party irregularities not reclassified as personal crimes

Ventura stated that Turks were not known for being the hardest-working people in the world, provoking a controversy over racism.

State of the evidence

statement and reactions documented

Legal status — source text

no criminal proceedings; Speaker of Parliament refused to censor the remarks

Attribution

direct personal responsibility

After a migrant worker confronted him about racism and exploitation, Ventura claimed that the man had been 'planted'. Chega released a video that SIC described as altered through cuts and misleading subtitles.

State of the evidence

public exchange and video editing documented

Legal status — source text

no personal judicial decision identified

Attribution

direct responsibility for the allegations and campaign communications

A post targeting the Roma community had resulted in a fine for discrimination/harassment, which was subsequently overturned by a court.

State of the evidence

administrative sanction and its judicial annulment documented

Legal status — source text

court overturned the fine of approximately 3,770 euros in 2021

Attribution

direct responsibility for the post; favourable judicial outcome

Ventura and Chega were ordered to apologise to a family after remarks describing them as 'bandidos'.

State of the evidence

final court decisions documented

Legal status — source text

the Supreme Court did not admit the appeal; the judgment became final

Attribution

direct personal responsibility for the remarks

In response to Joacine Katar Moreira's proposal concerning colonial restitution, Ventura suggested that the MP be sent back to her country of origin, prompting accusations of xenophobia.

State of the evidence

statement and political condemnations documented

Legal status — source text

no personal criminal conviction identified

Attribution

direct personal responsibility

Ventura and Chega proposed a lockdown specifically targeting the Roma community, drawing strong criticism for discrimination.

State of the evidence

proposal and reactions documented

Legal status — source text

no personal criminal conviction

Attribution

direct political responsibility