Minister Pinto Luz Endorses Suzana Garcia's Plan to 'Eradicate' Cova da Moura
Minister of Infrastructure and Housing, Miguel Pinto Luz, made a public appearance in Amadora this week alongside Suzana Garcia, the PSD's candidate for the municipal council, voicing strong support for her widely debated plan to “erradicate” the Cova da Moura neighborhood. The minister, clarifying he was present in his capacity as a national director of the Social Democratic Party (PSD), praised the “ambition, arrojo e risco” (ambition, boldness, and risk) of Garcia's proposal. The joint visit occurred just one week after Garcia, a prominent media commentator, announced her intention to demolish the informal settlement, a statement that had drawn a clarifying response from Pinto Luz's own ministry. Despite the high-profile endorsement, the visit was confined to the entrance of the neighborhood, with the political delegation not proceeding into the residential areas of Cova da Moura. The event was framed as part of the pre-campaign for the 2025 local elections, signaling the PSD's strategic focus on urban security and housing issues in the Lisbon Metropolitan Area. Garcia's proposal involves the complete demolition of the existing structures in Cova da Moura, to be replaced by a new urban development. This approach has been presented as a definitive solution to long-standing issues of informal housing and social integration in the area. Pinto Luz's presence was interpreted by political analysts as a significant consolidation of party support behind Garcia, who is seen as a candidate capable of challenging the long-standing Socialist governance in Amadora. The minister's emphatic support for the plan's boldness suggests a political strategy aimed at capturing voters concerned with urban degradation and security. However, the decision not to enter the neighborhood has been noted by observers and residents, raising questions about the depth of engagement with the community whose future is at the center of the proposal. Housing associations and opposition parties have already voiced concerns, advocating for a more phased and participatory urban regeneration process instead of wholesale demolition. The plan, as outlined by Garcia, would represent one of the most significant urban interventions in the Lisbon periphery in decades, with profound implications for thousands of residents. The Ministry of Infrastructure and Housing is expected to be a key entity in the approval and potential financing of any such project, making Pinto Luz's political endorsement a critical factor in its viability. The debate over the future of Cova da Moura is now firmly on the political agenda, promising to be a central theme in the upcoming municipal elections. Understand policy impacts on your Portugal property plans at realestate-lisbon.com.
