Brazilian-Portuguese twins with spinal muscular atrophy, treated in Portugal in 2020 with a drug (Zolgensma) costing four million euros, had already received Portuguese citizenship when they were diagnosed with the disease.
Warranty provided CM family lawyer who denies the naturalization process for 15 days, according to a TVI report that first covered the case.
“The application for citizenship began on April 16, 2019 and was completed five months later, in September. The diagnosis became known in September, after citizenship was granted,” said Wilson Bicalho, emphasizing that “on the website of the Ministry of Justice it refers to a period of two up to four months, during which newborn children of Portuguese parents can obtain citizenship.”
The lawyer denies any favoritism towards the twins: “My client is involved in a case that has nothing to do with the truth. It seems to me that she was included in the story to try to create a bad image of the president.”
We recall that Marcelo Rebelo de Souza, suspected of interceding on behalf of the family, admitted that his son Nuno Rebelo de Souza sent him an email in 2019 regarding this case and that the Presidential Advisor contacted the Santa Maria Hospital to make inquiries. about the same thing. However, the president denied any favoritism.
Wilson Bicalho says the family was unaware of the email sent by son Marcelo and stresses that the children’s mother, Portuguese-Brazilian Daniela Martins, did not know the president’s daughter-in-law before her daughters’ treatment.
“I only met her last December,” the lawyer said, assuring that it was Daniela’s persistence that helped the children. “He sent emails everywhere, called the ombudsman’s office and did everything. Now he cannot return to his home in Portugal because they have been the target of an attack. They ruined the family’s life,” he said.
AND
“I did not say”
The President is now speaking sparingly on this matter. This Wednesday, he began by declaring that he had “nothing to add” and then stressed that he had not spoken to his son about the topic. “If I didn’t say what I said then, it’s because I didn’t,” he said, without saying whether he knew whether his name was used inappropriately.
Francisco Ramos denies
Former state health secretary Francisco Ramos denies calling the Santa Maria hospital to make an appointment for the twins.
Physiotherapy
The lawyer says Maite and Lorena, now five, “have limited mobility, are receiving physical therapy with health insurance and are now developing their speech with the support of their very devoted mother.”