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Seven days. This was how the hunger strike lasted, led by a group of nine men and one woman, businessmen from the restaurant and nightlife sector, who, since November 27 (Friday), camped in protest in front of the Assembly of the Republic, where they demanded to be. heard by Prime Minister António Costa or Minister of Economy Pedro Siza Vieira. The objective would be to ask for more support to the sector or, alternatively, to guarantee the ‘return’ of schedules to their establishments. And the protest ended only when another protagonist entered the scene. The mayor of Lisbon, Fernando Medina, assumed the role of intermediary and, on Thursday night, summoned members of the ‘A Pão e Água’ movement, which has been organizing protests for a couple of months. across the country against the restrictions imposed by the Government after the pandemic – for a meeting at the City Hall of the capital. At the end of the meeting, the protesters ended the action.
For journalists, Fernando Medina considered that the meeting was “very frank, face to face” and served to “find answers”. The spokesmen of the movement, José Gouveia and Ljubomir Stanisic, were also satisfied with the result. “We felt that they understood our demands,” said José Gouveia, adding that the mayor of Lisbon was in conversation with Siza Vieira, and that the Minister of Economy himself “agreed that there are points that must be changed.” A new meeting between the group and the Government was scheduled for this week, with Fernando Medina as an intermediary, announced the movement ‘A Pão e Água’.
Controversy on social media
The employers of the hunger strike survived, during the seven days, “fed” only with water, tea and coffee. Chef Ljubomir Stanisic and another member of the group even fainted and had to be treated by INEM and rushed to hospital. Despite the scares, no one was left with serious ailments. And, in the end, the action ended with the taste of the pizzas that, after the hunger strike, were ‘devoured’ right there.
But while they endured the rigors of hunger, the internet was making known the faces of those who participated in the protest and the reaction … it was not sweet at all The signs of foreign wealth from entrepreneurs such as João Sotto-Mayor, Alberto Cabral or João ‘Shima ‘Almeida, three of the elements on hunger strike outside Parliament, were severely criticized by Internet users, who considered, in most cases, as one user wrote, “these are not the best people to represent the sectors” who, at this moment, are going through enormous difficulties. Photographs with luxury cars and motorcycles, yachts and even airplanes left social networks ‘shocked’, which reacted with a ‘rain’ of criticism.
To journalists, João Sotto-Mayor devalued and regretted the controversy. “We are not here because we are sick, we are here for everyone who is actually sick. We work hard and we are here for those who have none, “said the owner of the Hamburgueria da Baixa and Mexican Guaka restaurants or even the Cubo Bar Quinta do Lago space.
