The National Electoral Commission (CNE) has filed a complaint with the Ministry of State (MP) against the President of the Junta de Aradas of Aveiro, suspected of violating the duty of neutrality and impartiality and banning institutional advertising.
The case is the result of a complaint filed by a citizen with the CNE in connection with posts on Mayor Catarina Barreto’s personal Facebook page during the 2021 campaign for local authorities, in which she refers to her role as President of the Council and others as a candidate, as well as interviews magazine, in which she discusses the actions she has developed in the ward and the actions she intends to continue to develop.
In a decision taken at a meeting on May 23, and to which Lusa had access on that Monday, the CNE concluded that there were signs of a practice of violating the duties of neutrality and impartiality and a practice of administrative offenses in relation to the violation of the ban on institutional publicity by the president of the junta de Aradas, and sent deputies case.
Regarding posts on her personal Facebook page, CNE states that by appearing on the same page as a candidate and president of the parish council, Catarina Barreto “raises doubts among those who see her regarding the position she holds.” and, in fact, in relation to publications promoted on the same page”.
“In encouraging such behavior and facilitating the confusion of the two positions she occupies — organ holder of autarchy and candidate — the president of the parish council did not maintain a strict separation between the performance of her position and her status as a candidate, failing to observe the duties of neutrality and impartiality to which she was indebted,” which violates The Local Government Elections Act (LEOAL), according to CNE minutes.
With regard to the interview, the Commission concludes that, speaking of acts performed in office and the new four-year period as a candidate in the elections in question, “it also failed to notice the strict separation between the exercise of the office he held and his status candidate, failing to fulfill the duties of neutrality and impartiality to which he was indebted.”
CNE also concluded that there are signs of administrative violations of the ban on institutional advertising during the election period due to publications regarding the distribution of works and events held in the parish, accompanied by phrases praising the work done.
Catarina Barreto was re-elected for a second term as President of the Junta de Aradas in the 2021 municipal elections by the Aliança com Aveiro coalition that joins the PSD/CDS-PP/PPM with 1841 votes (46.28%), winning seven terms.