Portugal, as defined by the Constitution of the Republic, can only act as an uncompromising defender of international law, a builder of peace, and an advocate for the political resolution of conflicts.

After two world wars and millions of deaths, it is easy to conclude that war must be stopped and that everything must be done to ensure it never returns.

It is true that Portugal alone cannot impose peace.

But it can and must, together with other countries, break away from the chorus of the madness of war and the arms race.

Portugal is not a province of the European Union, much less an appendage of the US and NATO, even if the government and Marco Rubio think otherwise.

Portugal must have its own voice and sovereignty, which must be used to uphold national interests and to work towards peace.

Twelve years ago, the war in Ukraine broke out; for twelve years, the PCP has been warning about the dramatic situation and advocating a political solution to end the conflict.

Throughout all these years, some here have ignored what was happening, pretended it was nothing, and then applauded and continue to applaud with a standing ovation the continuation of the war, with the results that are plain to see.

They applaud a war that affects others yet cynically refuse to face the consequences of their choices.

Some are the very same people who turn a blind eye to the genocide of the Palestinian people and who bow to US orders and its blackmail, blockades, sanctions and threats, even against countries within the European Union.

And it is with great concern that we note that the PSD, CDS, Chega and IL support the madness of the war that the US and Israel are waging against Iran; they are enthusiasts of the arms race and, as if that were not enough, they are dragging the country into aggression by turning the Lajes base into a platform for attacks on Iran, Lebanon and Palestine.

Twenty-three years ago, also at Lajes and also at the hands of the PSD and CDS, the Country was humiliated by hosting the summit of lies regarding the war against Iraq; today, the same political figures are once again dragging Portugal into a war that serves only those who make millions from it.

Putting the country at the service of war is an incomprehensible decision that demands a full clarification and explanation, along with a clear accounting of responsibilities and consequences.

The war is yours, but you always want the people to foot the bill.

The rising cost of living also bears the mark of the PSD, CDS, Chega and IL.

When we pay 20% more per litre of diesel, over 16% more per litre of petrol, and 18% more for a gas cylinder, which already costs around 40 euros, we can thank the PSD, CDS, Chega and IL.

A gratitude that extends to the unprecedented food prices and the latest increases in monthly mortgage repayments, but also to the dramatic impact on small farmers who have long been under pressure and now face increases they cannot bear – at the outset with fertilisers, which now cost 50% more.

Your war serves the arms industry, it serves the profits of GALP, SONAE and Jerónimo Martins, it serves the banks, but it does not serve the people – least of all our own.

The war enthusiasts are the same people who want to privatise everything, attack the right to healthcare, education, social security and housing, and who, in this particular situation, want to impose – believe it or not – even more exploitation and an attack on wages through the labour package.

Even more exploitation, even lower wages, even more precariousness, further deregulation of working hours, unpaid work, and unfair dismissals, do not serve the workers or the Country under any circumstances, and even less so at a time when they are facing a brutal rise in the cost of living.

The international context and the situation in the Country demand the defence of national interests and an end to the shameful use of national territory or airspace to facilitate the continued aggression of Trump and those who support him.

The situation calls for courage.

Courage to put a stop to the madness of war.

Courage to raise wages, regulate prices and support the productive sectors.

Courage to assert Portugal as a sovereign State, a champion of peace and cooperation among peoples.