Portuguese businessman based in the United States, César do Paço, who this afternoon accompanied Chega MP Eduardo Teixeira in Alto Minho, will donate €100,000 to the Viana do Castelo Fire Department for the full purchase of a new ambulance.
The announcement was made this Saturday during a visit by Chega’s district delegation of Viana do Castelo to the facilities of the Humanitarian Association of the Viana do Castelo Firefighters.
César do Paço is said to have been moved by the fact that one of the fire department’s ambulances was badly damaged in an accident, prompting him to cover the entire cost of a new vehicle.
In a statement, Chega’s candidate for the Viana do Castelo City Council, Eduardo Teixeira, stressed that “during the visit and meeting with the president of the Firefighters’ board, David Lourenço, an urgent need of the corporation was highlighted: the replacement of a life-support ambulance, lost in an accident about 30 days ago, which left the institution without the capacity to effectively respond to critical emergencies.”
“Faced with this reality, Dr. César do Paço immediately decided to offer a fully equipped new ambulance, worth around €100,000, thus returning to the fire department an essential tool to save lives and reinforce the safety of all Viana residents,” the note added.
For Eduardo Teixeira, this was “a very special moment, a historic day that left us with full hearts,” underlining that “politics must always be close to people and institutions.”
“There are moments when politics must be direct, practical, and supportive intervention. What we witnessed today was proof that, through partnership between civil society and local actors, it is possible to provide quick responses to urgent problems. Firefighters give of themselves before thinking of themselves, and we have the duty to provide them with the conditions to continue saving lives,” he said.
Also quoted in the same statement, businessman César do Paço said that “the reason is to help the community and Portugal. I also support volunteer firefighters in the United States and I know the difficulties they face. An ambulance can mean saving lives, and there is nothing more important than that.”
The president of the Viana do Castelo Fire Department, David Lourenço, thanked the donation, calling it “an excellent surprise that immediately strengthens the corporation’s response capacity.”
He further emphasized that “the more modern resources we have, the greater our effectiveness in rescuing the population.”
For Eduardo Teixeira, this gesture demonstrates the principles his candidacy stands for:
“The Viana do Castelo Volunteer Firefighters are a century-old institution that deserves our full respect, support, and dedication. They are men and women who risk their lives every day for the well-being of all of us, often without the necessary means. To love is also to save Viana, and that includes supporting those who save lives. This vehicle restores their response capacity and reinforces the safety of all Viana residents.”
The candidate reaffirmed “that the appreciation of firefighters will be a priority of his candidacy,” stressing that “these institutions cannot survive solely on the goodwill of personnel or occasional acts of solidarity — they need stability, investment, and dignity from local authorities.”
“With this act of solidarity, it has been proven that the future of Viana do Castelo is also built on the union between institutions, civil society, and citizens, united around a common goal: a safer, fairer, and better-prepared city,” the statement concluded.
Source: O Minho
(Images courtesy of Joca Fotógrafos / O Minho)