Former president of the Regional Government speaks of “legitimate civil resistance”
The former president of the Regional Government has been quite critical of the new model for controlling access to the region’s classified pedestrian routes, which came into effect yesterday, January 1, 2026.
Over the past three days, Alberto João Jardim has twice expressed his opinion on this matter, disagreeing that the people of Madeira should have to register “to freely travel throughout their territory.”
On the very last day of the year, the former regional leader stated that “2026 is starting very badly,” specifying his displeasure with the situation. “Official propaganda downplays it with a ridiculous ‘at least the people of Madeira don’t pay,'” we can read in the aforementioned publication. And it raises the question, “What powerful and hidden reasons are sustaining this situation? What have we come to?!”
Today, in a sort of New Year’s message, where he touches on various aspects, including the case of the Funchal City Council member who ran over a person yesterday morning while driving drunk, Alberto João Jardim once again criticizes the model that has now come into effect.
And it raises another question: “Does anyone who owns land or co-owns irrigation channels have to ‘register’ every day to go and take care of what belongs to them?!”
Jardim even speaks of “legitimate civil resistance” to the new model, in the face of the abuses he says are being implemented.
“We are facing a constitutional situation of legitimate civil resistance, despite the volume of public resources committed to a propaganda campaign,” states the former president of the Regional Government.
According to Decree No. 801/2025, of December 10, which establishes the fees and respective amounts to be charged by the Institute of Forests and Nature Conservation (IFCN), since yesterday all users of Classified Hiking Trails are required to register in advance on the Simplifica portal.
In the case of residents, although they are exempt from payment, they are on an equal footing with visitors, even though several members of the Regional Government have already guaranteed that there will be specific spaces for Madeirans. To date, the number of spaces per slot for locals has not yet been announced, nor has the maximum number of spaces in each 30-minute slot been revealed in other cases.
This situation has already prompted expressions of discontent from several Madeirans who regularly go for walks, even leading to a ‘demonstration’ on December 21st.
Following this gathering, and when confronted by journalists on the matter, Miguel Albuquerque was clear: “We are not going back down. They can contest whatever they want, but the organization is for the benefit of all,” stated the President of the Regional Government.