Accident/Elevator: PSD, Chega and CDS-PP cancel political events this weekend

The PSD today cancelled the municipal convention scheduled for Sunday, Chega a demonstration and the CDS-PP its political rentrée, both scheduled for Saturday, following the fatal accident with the Glória elevator in Lisbon.

"In light of the tragedy that claimed the lives of more than a dozen people in the collapse of the Elevador da Glória in Lisbon, the PSD has decided to cancel the National Municipal Convention, which was scheduled for next Sunday in Porto," the party that leads the Government said in a statement.

Following the accident, the CDS-PP, which is also part of the executive, announced the cancellation of its political rentrée, scheduled for Saturday in Vale de Cambra.

Party leader Nuno Melo also canceled his entire party agenda until Monday.

The CDS-PP was scheduled to make its political return on Saturday with a "lunch and social gathering" in Vale de Cambra, in the Aveiro district. The event was to feature speeches by the party leader, Martins Silva, the centrist candidate for Vale de Cambra City Council, and Catarina Marinho, leader of the Juventude Popular party.

Also scheduled for Saturday was a demonstration called by Chega “against the brake on the law on foreigners”, which would start at the Lisbon Congress Center and end in front of the Belém Palace.

"Due to the tragedy that occurred in the Glória elevator and the official mourning that has since been decreed, Chega has decided to postpone the demonstration that was scheduled for next Saturday in Lisbon regarding the law on foreigners," the party said in a statement released today.

This demonstration was initially scheduled for August 24th and had already been postponed once due to the fires.

The PS municipal convention in Coimbra, the PCP's Avante! Festival in Seixal, and the 16th Livre Congress in Porto are still scheduled for this weekend.

The Glória elevator in Lisbon derailed on Wednesday, causing 16 deaths and two dozen injuries, including Portuguese and foreigners of various nationalities.

The government has declared a day of national mourning, which falls today. Lisbon City Council has declared three days of municipal mourning, from today until Saturday.