Eduardo Barroso is Marques Mendes' representative for Lisbon

Eduardo Barroso, a pioneering surgeon, lifelong friend of Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, and nephew of Mário Soares and Maria Barroso, is Luís Marques Mendes' representative in Lisbon. Barroso, who supported Mário Soares, Jorge Sampaio, and Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa in previous elections—and has never voted for the PSD in his life—is taking on a role in the former leader's campaign, supported by the PSD, Observador learned from a source close to the candidacy.

Speaking to Observador radio, the new president, who promises to "wear his jersey" for Marques Mendes, justified his choice. "The world is dangerous, and Portugal is also in a phase of democratic evolution where my concern is that we can elect a president who guarantees our democracy ." Always emphasizing that he is "above suspicion," not least because he is close to the Socialist Party (he contributed to Pedro Nuno Santos's election campaign last year) and has never voted for the PSD in his life, Barroso emphasizes that this is not a party election, nor a government election, but a one-man election—and Marques Mendes has the profile that makes him feel more "at ease."

"I'm a fundamentalist of competence and specialization. I can't imagine electing a president who isn't a politician. I want to elect a politician with political experience, legal, economic, and geopolitical knowledge, who has common sense and is moderate and who guarantees democracy," he argued. "I really want to elect someone who guarantees democracy. [Luís Marques Mendes] has the competence that no other candidate can guarantee."

In these statements to Observador, the retired surgeon took the opportunity to explain why he won't vote for Socialist António José Seguro. "I like him. I don't think he has a chance of being elected," he said. "I even thought he'd stepped away from politics, and suddenly he appears. I don't dislike him; I'm sure he's a democrat, but he lacks some of the characteristics I see in Marques Mendes," from his "great empathy" with the population to his political experience.

"I'm concerned that democracy may be in question in the near future. And I'm going to wear this jersey. I can't live without wearing jerseys," he continues, once again emphasizing that voting for Marques Mendes isn't related to his usual political choices. "I listened to friends in my political field and explained to them: we're not voting for parties, but for the person whose character and personality we know. I'm above suspicion; I'll continue to pursue my political choices in other areas."

As for the other candidate from the socialist camp who could still emerge—António Sampaio da Nóvoa, who is expected to make a decision on a possible advance in the Belém race this week—he wouldn't even be an option for Barroso. "I have nothing against Sampaio da Nóvoa, but I would never vote for him . He doesn't have the profile, he lacks empathy, he lacks political knowledge and experience," he says.

To defend Marques Mendes, Barroso even resorts to the memory of Almeida Santos: "I think it was Almeida Santos who said about my uncle Mário: the country would go mad if we didn't elect Mário Soares. Right now, given the options we have, Marques Mendes is the guarantor of fundamental values. Isn't he in my political camp? I don't care." More important, he argues, is that he be a president who leaves him "at ease" regarding the future of his children and grandchildren. Therefore, after thinking "a little" and expressing his own doubts ( "Do you think I can bring in ten more votes?" he reportedly asked Mendes), he decided to be one of the faces of the candidacy.

And Marques Mendes believes in these advantages: "Having someone with the professional prestige and independence of Eduardo Barroso is an honor," praised the presidential candidate, in a statement transmitted to Observador.

The surgeon and current president of the National Commission for Reference Centers thus joins a list of representatives that is largely composed of independents and people with connections to the academic world — from Sobrinho Teixeira and Fontaínhas Fernandes to the president of the Polytechnic of Viseu, José Costa, the outgoing rector of the University of Beira Interior, Mário Raposo, or the businessman from Leiria António Poças, in addition to the social democrat António Carvalho Martins — who belonged to the political committee during Rui Rio's term.