The Portuguese Ministry of State may have made a mistake in the investigation that led to the Prime Minister’s downfall
The Portuguese are discussing whether a possible mistake by the State Ministry could have led to the resignation of the country’s prime minister.
The Portuguese Prime Minister is this man, Antonio Costa. The Minister of Economic Affairs is: Antonio Costa Silva.
Last week, police conducted a search and seizure at Prime Minister António Costa’s home and arrested five people suspected of irregularities in lithium and green hydrogen contracts.
Among the pieces of evidence presented by prosecutors is a transcript of a conversation in which a businessman asked adviser Diogo Lacerda Machado for favor within the government. According to the lawsuit, Lacerda Machado responds:
“OK. I will decode this whether it is about economics or finance. (…) When it comes to economics, I will find a way after reaching António Costa himself.”
1 of 5 Portugal’s public ministry may have made a mistake in the investigation that led to the downfall of the prime minister Photo: Reproduction/TV Globo Portugal’s public ministry may have made a mistake in the investigation that led to the downfall of the prime minister Photo: Reproduction /TV Globo
On Sunday, the bugged adviser’s lawyer said he was referring to Economy Minister António Costa Silva. And not to the Prime Minister.
“In fact, it was Dr. Diogo Lacerda Machado, who signaled to the State Ministry that this error had indeed occurred, as the State Ministry acknowledged. Slips, when involuntary, are obviously not serious from a subjective point of view, they are only serious from an objective point of view. If it’s intentional, no. “I do not insult the public ministry,” explained Manuel Magalhães e Silva, Diogo Lacerda Machado’s lawyer.
2 of 5 Portugal’s Public Ministry may have made a mistake in the investigation that led to the fall of the Prime Minister Photo: Reproduction/TV Globo Portugal’s Public Ministry may have made a mistake in the investigation that led to the fall of the Prime Minister Photo: Reproduction /TV Globo
The lawyer also explained that prosecutors had already admitted to him the prime minister’s mistake.
“The prosecution has expressly acknowledged that there is something like a failure that is not due to António Costa, but to António Costa Silva, specifically,” said Manuel Magalhães e Silva, lawyer for Diogo Lacerda Machado.
But by then the prime minister had already resigned.
“The dignity of the office of Prime Minister is not compatible with any suspicion of his integrity, his good behavior, and even less with the practical suspicion of a criminal act,” said António Costa, Prime Minister of Portugal, on July 11.
3 out of 5 Portugal’s Public Ministry may have made a mistake in the investigation that led to the fall of the Prime Minister Photo: Reproduction/TV Globo Portugal’s Public Ministry may have made a mistake in the investigation that led to the fall of the Prime Minister Photo: Reproduction /TV Globo
On Monday (13) Minister of Economy António Costa Silva commented on the case for the first time. And he denied any involvement. “I have been in the government for 20 months, I have never had contact with Dr. Diogo Lacerda Machado and he doesn’t come to me either. So to sum it up clearly: this is everything that means nothing,” says António Costa Silva, Minister of Economy from Portugal.
4 out of 5 The country’s economics minister has the same name as the prime minister Photo: Reproduction/TV Globo The country’s economics minister has the same name as the prime minister Photo: Reproduction/TV Globo
The Prime Minister has already denied any involvement in the case, but has not commented on the lawyer’s statements about the error in the transcript. The Portuguese Ministry of State has also not officially commented on the case.
The prosecutor’s only action so far has been to drop corruption and abuse of office charges against the suspects. Only the influence of peddling was maintained. The Portuguese are following the case and waiting for further developments.
Without an official statement from the MP, the resignation is valid for now and António Costa’s resignation as prime minister is scheduled for March, when new elections are held in Portugal.
5 out of 5 Portugal’s Public Ministry may have made a mistake in the investigation that led to the fall of the Prime Minister Photo: Reproduction/TV Globo Portugal’s Public Ministry may have made a mistake in the investigation that led to the fall of the Prime Minister Photo: Reproduction /TV Globo