2023-11-13 08:30:00
The Prosecutor’s Office of Portugal asked this sunday preventive prison for Victor Escariachief of staff to the prime minister Antonio Costaand the consultant Lacerda Machadowithin the framework of research on the corruption case which caused a electoral advance in the country.
Prosecutors allege that the measure is due to the fact that the defendants They might flee – to Guinea, Angola or the United Statesdue to the professional and family relationships of those investigated with these countries– and due to the risk of disrupt the process, pressure witnesses or agree on strategies for the trial, the agency stated Europa Press.
Machado’s lawyer, Magalhaes e Silva, stated that he hopes that the investigating judge “does not follow” the Prosecutor’s proposal, which he described as “ultramontane.” Furthermore, he made reference to the fact that there was a confusion in a listening transcript between the Minister of Economy, António Costa Silva, and the Head of Government, António Costa.
Sources consulted by the news agency Lusa They also indicated that the Public Ministry will request the administrators of the company Start Campus Afonso Salema and Rui Oliveira Neves pledges of 200,000 euros and 100,000 euros respectivelyas well as the prohibition of contacting the other defendants and traveling abroad.
The organization also requested the suspension of the mayor of Sines, Nuno Mascarenhas, who may be prohibited from entering the municipal building and contacting its employees. The mayor is being investigated for crime of passive corruption and malfeasance for supposedly give in to pressure to favor Start Campusresponsible for a project construction of a digital data storage center in Sines.
Corruption scandal in Portugal
Last Tuesday, the Portuguese Prosecutor’s Office launched a battery of operations for alleged crimes of prevarication and corruption linked to the lithium and green hydrogen sector, within a macro investigation in which the role of Costa and other members of the Government is examined. Then, he searched the headquarters of the Ministries of Infrastructure and the Environment, as well as some of the offices of Costa’s official residence.
As a background, the concessions for the exploitation of lithium deposits in Boticas and Montalegrein the north of Portugal, as well as a project to produce energy with hydrogen and another for the construction of a data center in the Sines area, located in the south, according to the Prosecutor’s Office, which specifically examines facts that may constitute crimes. of prevarication, active corruption, passive corruption and influence peddling.
It is scandal led to the resignation of the prime ministerfollowing which the president of Portugal, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousaannounced the dissolution of the Assembly and the calling of early elections for March 10, 2024pointing out that he has tried to “shorten as much as possible” the date to go to the polls.
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