[ad_1]
When 2020 began, Carlos Prada’s prospects couldn’t be more encouraging. The event agency he created two years ago was growing, his Roda de Samba was going to be presented at Rock in Rio and he already had events scheduled in the Algarve. However, the pandemic has turned everything upside down: “We have gone from a tremendous expansion to a closure. It’s surreal. “Agency 021 closed last month. 15 employees were laid off, some worker-students.
The 27-year-old, like the people he employed, are collateral victims of the pandemic and it was in this condition that Carlos decided to appear in the demonstration that, according to the Metropolitan Command of the PSP of Lisbon, gathered between 700 and 800 people in Rossio Square. in Lisbon. “I came to the demonstration for a matter of empathy with all my colleagues who are going through the same thing and to be heard. We are being ignored. “
Like other reports that were told for an hour and a half that the demonstration lasted, Carlos says that he resisted as long as he could: he came from behind. I did events that I did not receive and I had to deliver the VAT because I invoiced them. We were bleeding every month, until a time came when there was no way to hold events because the rules are always changing, ”he laments.
Without being able to “reinvent himself” in the events business, without a night and without corporate events, there was no other option but to close: “There was a samba circle and there were only seven Brazilian musicians that he employed every week. It was money at the end of the month that paid the rent. Some are working in car washes, ”he says.
Carlos Prada, 27, had to close his event agency
For Carlos, despite not questioning the severity of covid-19, the most forceful measures imposed by the Government, such as the curfew on weekends after 1 in the afternoon, are “excessive”. “You have seen the anguish of these people. Too many families. And it is also the destruction of the dreams of young people ”. An affliction synthesized in the words of a banner carried by the protesters: “Hunger also kills.”
Entrepreneurs from the hospitality, hotel and local sectors, bars and nightclubs, and tourism took the makeshift stage in a van, installed in the middle of the square. Below, many workers dressed in lab coats, with gowns or jerseys that show the name of their establishments, are listening to the manifesto, addressed to the Government, which is read by one of the promoters of the demonstration: they ask for the VAT to be reduced, the exemption paid by TSU until December 31, 2021, the leave for managing partners, support for the payment of rents, non-refundable support, reinforcement of credit lines, expansion of support for the self-employed.
“We are the ones who support this country, the ones who contribute to the economy of this country,” says Ljubomir Stanisic. chef kitchen, one of the leaders of the demonstration. Later, in statements to journalists, he stressed that the protest did not want to “get into politics” – André Ventura, leader of Chega, was present.
“We are only asking for peace in this country. There are 43 thousand people on the street. We are obliged to fire people and we don’t want to, ”he says.
Asked about the support announced by the Government to minimize damage to restaurants that will close after 1 p.m. this and next weekend (which corresponds to 20% of the turnover break registered in those two weekends, taking into account the average of the companies’ income in the 44 weekends since the beginning of the year and the end of October), OR chef considers them insufficient: “From January to October we will make a ratio of 20% of what we have billed. We must not forget that we were limited to 50% capacity. And of those 44 weeks, 11 of them have been closed ”, he points out.
After clashes between protesters and police on Friday in Porto, requests for “non-violence” were recurrent, in addition to maintaining a social distance of two meters and wearing a mask. Even so, several insults were heard from the government, the political class and also journalists.
The police were always present, with several traffic officers, but also from the intervention corps. The intervention was not necessary, except at a time when one of the promoters of the demonstration lamented into the microphone the fact that the Observer having published an informative report on the presence of 200 protesters, when that number, over time, had already been exceeded. Some protesters approached two journalists, but the PSP intervened and took them away within minutes. “We are here for peace,” shouted other protesters later.
A normal morning of life
On this first day of mandatory curfew at 1:00 p.m. -measure decreed by the Government to avoid family gatherings that, according to health authorities, have contributed to the increase in cases of contagion by SARS-CoV-2 could be Think of a rush to the shops or supermarkets, since in the afternoon many establishments would be closed. However, in the parish of Benfica, life passed with apparent normality and without major floods.
Around 10:30 am, at the Colombo Center, in addition to the already routine line to get into Primark, everything flowed without much confusion. Rogério and Rita Rodrigues maintained their routine every Saturday: leaving home in Odivelas to go shopping on the mainland of the mall. “We always saw this one because we don’t have to queue,” says Rogério, who found no confusion inside.
Carla Ribeiro, Alverca’s accountant, was already exhausted from aviation purchases, who took advantage of the trip to stock the pantry. He even expected to meet more people and wait, but no. “I joined early.” From there, he would return home to comply with the curfew. A necessary evil, he says. “Does it interfere with my life? It will interfere with my health if we all walk together. “
In the center of the Benfica parish, hairdressers and barbers serve customers, even if the hairstyle is for a walk around the house. Pastries serve breakfast, grocery stores serve customers. At the door of the Benfica Market, even with the thick drops dripping from the umbrellas, a line forms. Arlindo and Ana Sampaio also wanted to maintain the routine, despite the restrictions.
On Saturdays it is customary to leave Moita, where they live, to take a walk to the market. “It’s for a walk,” says the geriatric assistant. After the tour, lunch is always there. Today, earlier, due to the closure of restaurants at 1 in the afternoon, a measure that Arlindo does not understand very well: “They are harming people who live exclusively on that.
In business, despite seeing many people on the streets, the owners report a drop in customers. The rain won’t have helped, that’s for sure. But, there, the expectation was not a great rush through the stores either.
The look of desolation comes, above all, from those who despair of serving customers in restaurants. With his arms crossed waiting for the work to accelerate as in other times, Alexandre Aires does not bode well for better days.
During the first state of emergency, the house was closed and the seven employees in leave. Since then, to support the company, he has had to borrow to make ends meet. Alexandre laughs nervously: “Too great opportunities? More than 75% “. He hasn’t fired anyone yet, but as of January, that will be inevitable. “We are already in the well and we are going to stay there.”
At 12:20 pm, he had only served one lunch. “We are ready from 10 am to serve, but of course people do not come for lunch at this time,” says the manager of the Violino brewery. He still appealed online for customers to order, but didn’t get much support. After 1 in the afternoon, it was going to close and, given the scenario this Saturday, the safest thing is not to open the doors next week.
At Traditional Benfica, however, there is a line to pick up lunch. Anabela Graça cannot complain about the movement: the pot is over, but there is still a lot of cuttlefish and grilled meat. “OR to carry out went well “.
In the room, five tables were occupied. It was almost 12:30 pm and people kept coming for lunch. “I think people still haven’t realized that they have to leave at 1 in the afternoon. They are a little late, ”says the owner of this restaurant, which did not stop serving during the pandemic.
Although the business is more focused on to carry outAnabela liked that the curfew had been delayed, to give, at least, the possibility of having lunch outside. “I don’t think restaurants should take this drastic measure because I think this is where there is less danger. People are more widely spaced, six per table. At least until 3 in the afternoon they could be open. “
Serene city
In a jump to the center of Lisbon, after 2:00 p.m., with the demonstration dispersed, but beyond the curfew, that is an empty territory. The boxes are sold out, many stores full of newspapers waiting for a new owner, cases in which it will already be a consequence of this crisis with no end in sight. The King of God still has his doors open, already after curfew. “But why keep them open if there are no people?” We listen from the other side.
After the heartbreak shared by hundreds of people who lost their jobs or did not know how to pay wages, the city calmed down. Like the deaf German who resists on one of the benches in Praça da Figueira. And who, slowly, takes out a cigarette and a monocle to look in silence at the Castle of San Jorge.
