Alexander Fonseca demands “clarification” of the facts and says that he has nothing to do with the process

Alexandre Fonseca, who has suspended his duties with the Altice group as part of “Operation Picoas”, claims to be “totally unaware of what has been publicly reported” and that he will demand “all the facts be cleared up”.

The position was posted on LinkedIn following the Altice group’s announcement on Monday that the manager, who is co-CEO (executive co-president) of Altice Europe and “chairman” of Altice Portugal and Altice USA (since March) has been suspended. as part of the executive and non-executive corporate governance activities of the group in various regions.

“Due to the recent news about the Altice Group, I have decided to suspend my duties as co-CEO of the Altice Group, as well as the ‘Chairman’ of the group’s various operations in various regions. adversity with the necessary objectivity and firmness because I believe that is the only way it makes sense,” writes Alexandre Fonseca, who was the executive president of Meo’s owner until March 2022.

“With this decision, I clearly intend to protect the Altice Group and all of its brands in all geographic regions of the world from a public process that appears to be investigating actions that took place during the period when I served as Executive President. Altis has been charged. Portugal,” he continues.

Alexander Fonseca notes that “the current context requires firm and specific answers”, so he did not hesitate to “treat the current moment with the high responsibility that it requires.”

Now “this attitude is aimed at contributing to the full clarification of the truth through my full availability, so that it can be properly investigated and answered as quickly as possible,” he emphasizes, pointing out that “this is a decision that the Altice group has taken and valued” because both felt “that it helps protect Altice’s business activities and promotes the principles of transparency, truth, and cooperation in fact-finding.”

“I want to reiterate that, since I am completely unaware of what has been publicly transmitted as part of the ongoing process, I will demand clarification of all facts and thus defend my integrity, good name and my recognized curriculum. and appreciated,” he said.

Alexander Fonseca concludes by quoting Martin Luther King, Jr., who stated that “injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”

And concludes: “I repeat that I will not give up my full contribution and doing my part, because I am very proud of what I have built and developed in my personal, family and professional life, namely in Portugal and in the Altis Group.”

“Operation Picoas”, launched on July 13, resulted in the arrest of three people, including Altice group co-founder Armando Pereira, and about 90 searches at home and outside, including at the Altice Portugal headquarters in Lisbon and the installation of companies and offices in various parts of the country, according to the Central Directorate of Investigation and Criminal Affairs (DCIAP) of the Ministry of State (MP).

It was a joint action of the deputy and the Tax Administration (NA).

Allegedly at stake are “mistakes in the Altice group’s decision-making process in terms of hiring, harmful practices of the group’s companies and competition”, pointing to active and passive private corruption.

The authorities believe that at the tax level, the state was deceived in the amount of “more than 100 million euros.”

On June 2, 2015, Altice completed the purchase of PT Portugal.