Prime Minister Luís Montenegro is set to file a formal complaint against a Portuguese account over the dissemination of false content on the social network X, formerly known as Twitter, after the user published a fake photo depicting messages in which the PM appeared to offer up the Azores islands to the US President.
“The Prime Minister of Portugal was the target of an act of disinformation with wide public reach. Apparently originating from the user ‘Volksvargas’, a fake post by the President of the United States of America was circulated on the social network X, featuring an image of a message attributed to the Prime Minister of Portugal,” reads a statement from Luís Montenegro’s office, which adds that “a complaint will be filed with the appropriate authorities”.
In the same statement, the Prime Minister’s office underscores “the importance of combating disinformation and urges the Portuguese public to verify the credibility of information sources, particularly on social media”.
The post by the user ‘Volksvargas’, who regularly comments on current affairs using humour and satire, imitates the style of posts published this week by US President Donald Trump on the Truth social network, in which he revealed the contents of (genuine) messages from French President Emmanuel Macron and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte.
In the 'Volksvargas' post, the supposed message from Luís Montenegro to Donald Trump addresses the US President as the “supreme leader and great architect of modern times”.
“I write to you still enthused by the magnitude of your recent achievements, and because I know how much you value that. While others in Europe may complain about your tariff policies, I see them for what they are: a demand for excellence and loyalty. Portugal does not wish to be just another EU country to you; we want to be your principal partner in the Atlantic. Until the very end, we are prepared to discuss a vision that ensures sovereign American access to our Azores islands. While the rest of Europe pays for its mistakes, let Portugal be the exception,” the message reads.
After news emerged of Luís Montenegro’s decision to pursue legal action, the author of the post issued a statement rejecting any intent to misinform, stressing that his account is a “satirical page”.
‘Volksvargas’ emphasised that his account is a “political satire page, known for publishing memes”, and that the “fictional text attributed to the Prime Minister was written in such a way as to leave no room for doubt that it is satire”.
The user noted that the post followed the publication of genuine private messages sent by Mark Rutte and Emmanuel Macron to Donald Trump, after which several similar posts appeared “imagining what other leaders might be saying to the American president”.
“It is therefore a satirical image, which makes absolutely clear that there is neither any intention nor any possibility of disinformation, and it even includes the watermark ‘@volksvargas’ in the bottom right-hand corner,” the author stressed.
He concluded his statement with criticism of the PM, describing it as “symptomatic and regrettable that the Government is not concerned about the disinformation spread by Chega, yet seeks to intimidate a satirical page to the point of wanting to prosecute its author”.
Source: LUSA
