In addition to the manipulated image of Miguel Albuquerque, the poster with which the PS surprised Madeirans today also has two more extras.
At the top of the ‘frame’ there are also the equally manipulated profiles of José Manuel Rodrigues next to Miguel Castro. Both appear with cropped photographs, which exceed the normal dimensions of the giant poster.
A general reading of this billboard gives the impression of Miguel Albuquerque somewhere on a beach, holding a glass and raising his thumb. At the top, Rodrigues and Castro are depicted as bodies serving drinks. In addition to the large blue background, the poster includes a written message: “This has to end. Come on, Madeira!”
This way of surprising citizens has generated many adverse reactions. On social media and in the comments boxes, there are many highly critical references.
There is a joke among socialist activists that this is the first time the PS has commissioned a poster to show three different leaders. And none of them are socialists.
This morning, at a press conference aimed at reinforcing the PS’s call for a broad coalition, the secretary general rejected the idea that the image was aggressive. Marta Freitas even said that it was a “warning note for an unbelievable stance”.