Portugal far-right leader suffers second collapse days before election

Lisbon: The leader of Portugal’s far-right party Chega collapsed on May 15 during an open-air campaign rally ahead of the May 18 general election and was rushed to a hospital, just two days after suffering a similar incident at another party event.

In videos from the rally in Odemira in southern Portugal that circulated online, Mr Andre Ventura, 42, could be seen grabbing his chest and trying to undo his tie before collapsing into the arms of his aides who carried him away.

Mr Ventura was discharged from a hospital in Faro only on May 14 after his previous collapse.

The hospital said he had an esophageal spasm caused by gastric reflux and high blood pressure.

Chega lawmaker Marta Silva told CNN Portugal the electrocardiogram in an ambulance immediately after the second collapse showed that “everything is well with his heart” and it was likely another esophageal spasm.

In a video posted on X on May 14 referring to this week’s earlier collapse, Mr Ventura said he was recovering well from what he called “a very, very frightening episode that I felt for the first time in my life”.

Mr Ventura founded the anti-establishment Chega in 2019, advocating tougher sentences for criminals, including chemical castration for repeat rapists, calling for an end to Portugal’s “open doors” immigration policy and accusing the mainstream political parties of perpetuating corruption.

Mr Chega became the third-largest parliamentary force in 2022 and quadrupled its parliamentary seats in an election in 2024 to 50 after running on a platform of fighting corruption and immigration.

But most analysts say the party is a one-man show, owing its success to Mr Ventura’s fiery eloquence, charisma and good looks.

Mr Ventura is a law postgraduate who once trained to be a priest, but who made his name as a TV sports commentator.

He gained notoriety in 2018 with incendiary remarks against the local Roma community.

Ahead of the May 18 election, opinion polls show Chega in third place, little changed from its 2024 result of 18 per cent, its meteoric rise apparently stalled by recent scandals involving several senior party members.