The Portuguese Justice rejects preventive detention for António Costa's chief of staff and consultant

April 17 () –

The Portuguese Justice has rejected this Wednesday the request for preventive detention against Vítor Escaria, chief of staff of former Prime Minister António Costa, and the consultant Lacerda Machado, within the framework of the investigation into the corruption case that brought down the previous Government 'premier'.

“None of the facts presented led to the commission of crimes in the development of the functions of each of the participants,” reads the ruling, which adds that there are no existing dangers for the application of coercive measures.

Likewise, the judges of the Lisbon Court of Appeals have indicated in their ruling that it is “incorrect” to discuss “State affairs at restaurant tables”, in reference to the wiretapping, according to the Portuguese newspaper 'Público'.

With this decision, the judges have annulled the bail of 150,000 euros that the investigating judge had imposed on Lacerda Machado, as well as the travel ban against him. Escaria will also be able to recover her passport.

The Prosecutor's Office had requested preventive detention against Costa's chief of staff and consultant, as well as bail of 200,000 euros and 100,000 euros for the administrators of the Start Campus company Afonso Salema and Rui Oliveira Neves, respectively.

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 several members of the Costa Government is examined.

The Public Ministry acknowledged having confused in a transcript of wiretaps the Minister of Economy, António Costa Silva, with the then Prime Minister of the country António Costa, who was initially singled out for the case.

This scandal led to the resignation of the prime minister, after which the president of Portugal, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, announced the dissolution of the Assembly and the calling of early elections for March 10, 2024, won by the current prime minister, Luís Montenegro, of the Social Democratic Party (PSD).