Jaime Filipe Ramos, a figure in Madeiran politics linked to a family with a long tradition of regional power, recently stated that "we cannot have a suffocated Autonomy," generating criticism from those who consider this position contradictory. The article questions the irony of someone representing entrenched and perpetuated power across generations complaining of suffocation.
The text argues that the narrative of Autonomy, originally conceived to decentralize decisions and emancipate the population, was progressively captured to serve as a shield for family dynasties and networks of interests that refuse to let go of managing public resources. The Ramos family is pointed out as an example of hidden enrichment and power that conditions the Region.
The author argues that the real suffocation is experienced daily by Madeiran citizens, through the high cost of living, difficulties in accessing housing, and the perception that economic opportunities continue to be conditioned by networks of influence. The article criticizes that Ramos spoke of power instead of addressing these concrete problems.
The text also mentions the recent regional elections, referring to realignments of internal factions and the maintenance of figurehead personalities, all in service of preserving the status quo. The conclusion is that Autonomy cannot serve merely as rhetoric to demand more power while internal governance functions as an extension of family business interests.
