Facebook Suspends Élvio Sousa’s Page After Many Complaints Were Filed at Once
The Madeira political party Juntos Pelo Povo (JPP) said that, few days before the elections, Facebook removed the personal page of its secretary-general, Élvio Sousa. The party called the decision “a dangerous act of censorship.”
What these forces of evil seek is to intimidate the people so they don't know the truth (…) It's time to break with this moldy regime and begin a new era.
According to JPP, the suspension happened after “hundreds of complaints” were made against Sousa’s account in a short time. The party believes this was a coordinated action to silence its leader. Sousa also leads the JPP group in Madeira’s Regional Assembly, where his party holds 11 of 47 seats.
JPP Blames “Lies Spread by Those Who Control Madeira’s Power”
In an official note, JPP accused certain groups in Madeira of trying to stop public debate.
(…) dangerous act of censorship that results from a set of lies invented and spread by the legion that controls everything in Madeira: people, companies, and the media, and uses the regional budget to feed monopolies that increase the cost of living. This is what they don't want anyone to talk about.
The party also said these groups “use the regional budget to feed monopolies that make life more expensive.” JPP argued that these interests want to hide their control of local politics and the economy.
Freedom of Expression Is “Protected by the Constitution,” Says the Party
The JPP reminded the public that freedom of expression is “one of the bases of democracy.” It said the right to speak and to be informed is protected by both the Portuguese Constitution and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
“The group complaints were only an attempt to silence the JPP,” the statement said. It added that the party’s work “to watch, report, and demand transparency” makes some powerful people uncomfortable.
The Political Commission of Juntos Pelo Povo (JPP) considers it “the work of the forces of evil — the vile attack carried out through hundreds of complaints made at once” — to force the owner of the social media platform Facebook to abruptly shut down the personal page of the party’s Secretary-General, Élvio Sousa.
The right to freedom of expression is one of the foundations of democracy, safeguarded by the Declaration of Human Rights and the Portuguese Constitution, which guarantees the “right to inform and to be informed without prohibition or censorship.”
JPP, Facebook
Élvio Sousa Promises to Continue His Political Work Despite the Ban
The JPP said it will continue growing and defending its regionalist and autonomist vision for Madeira. “The people are not blind and understand,” the JPP said.
It was further said that “it is time to end this old system and start a new era,” promising that the JPP will stay independent and resist pressure. The suspension of Sousa’s account was first reported on the JPP’s official Facebook page. His personal account remained offline as of today.
JPP Statement: Juntospelopovo.pt
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