Cristiano inaugurates his airport between political controversies

«I never asked for it, but I’m not a hypocrite. I am happy «, says the player in an act in which he has been accompanied by his family and the main personalities of Portugal.

«I did not ask for it, but I’m not a hypocrite and I assume that I’m flattered and happy.» Cristiano Ronaldo has thanked the baptism of the airport of Madeira that bears his name in a ceremony that has been celebrated this noon. «I know there are people who do not agree, who are even sitting here, that’s fine. We live in a democratic country,» added the Portuguese footballer, who wanted to thank «the courage» of the President of the Government of Madeira for change Of the name of the airport.

The message from Ronaldo, 32, to those who opposed it was also included in his speech by President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa: «It takes courage for this change. The common practice is to give them to deceased personalities. The choice, if only, was made taking risks. Choosing a living personality has risks, but we know that when Christian leaves the fields he will live with his own humility, his very roots. That’s how it’s always been and it will be. » More than an attractive brand for tourism, Cristiano is an example of the ability to work in the most difficult conditions and to reach excellence, on how to achieve being a genius with work and pride. It is not normal for an airport to be dedicated to a living personality, let alone a footballer, in fact the only one in existence is Belfast, who pays homage to George Best. «It is an exceptional choice for an exceptional personality that will never disappoint us,» said the president, who has pointed out that Cristiano, with his excellence, «feeds national pride and projects us to the world.»

Ronaldo has arrived accompanied by his mother, son and his girlfriend, Georgina Rodríguez, and was welcomed by the president of Madeira, Miguel Albuquerque, and the Portuguese Prime Minister, Antonio Costa. Upon arrival, the Real Madrid striker was cheered by the thousands of people attending, who only repeated their fervor with the arrival of the president of the country. «Seeing this airport carrying my name is something very special. Everyone knows that I am proud of my roots,» said the player.

CR7, an acronym with which it has built an empire that sells underpants, towels or loudspeakers, has brought together the living forces of Portugal, as its first hotelier, Dionisio Pestana – with whom he has opened his hotel chain CR7 – Of soccer Jorge Mendes and the ex-president of Madeira Alberto Joao Jardim. Of course, in the front row was his son Ronaldo Jr. with his grandmother, who will charge for what makes his son for free to promote Madeira: Dolores Aveiro will charge 250,000 euros for announcing the bananas on the island.

One of the dissonant voices not to honor the most famous son of the island has been the diplomat Francisco Seixas da Costa, who has indicated in his Facebook profile that this baptism «defies the limits of good sense, justice and ridicule» . As a diplomat is worth a potosí, but even more as a politician, as the former secretary of state under a socialist government suggests that the right thing would have been to give him the name of Alberto João Jardim, charismatic politician of the PSD who ruled Madeira for 37 years with a very Personnel that took him, among other things, to the courts. It will have to recognize the diplomat, like it or not, Cristiano Ronaldo has more pull for an island that lives mainly of tourism and by whose airport last year passed 3.1 million people.

Source.ElPais