PS Madeira says investigation into corruption in the region is not completed

PS This Thursday, Madeira said that the process of investigating alleged corruption in the region does not end with the release of the three detainees, insisting that the President and the representative of the Republic must facilitate early elections in the archipelago.

“The stability of the region and the future of the people of Madeira and Porto Santos cannot be in the hands of a political party whose leadership is responsible in court for crimes of corruption and which has lost all authority and legitimacy to remain at the forefront of Madeira’s destinies. “, say the Madeiran Socialists in a written statement sent to the Luza Agency and signed by the Secretary General Marta Freitas.

In the document, they claim that the outgoing regional government chairman, Miguel Albuquerque, “is accused of a major corruption case and has not yet asked for his promised immunity to be lifted in order to fully clarify the facts.”

PS is the largest opposition party in the archipelago. [ocupa 11 dos 47 lugares no parlamento madeirense] – states that the PSD “does not have the political legitimacy to blackmail the Madeirans”, since this “process is not fully completed, all suspicions remain.”

They therefore renew their appeal to the representative of the Republic, Ireneu Barreto, and the President of the Republic, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, so that, as soon as the Constitution allows, “early elections will be called in Madeira.”

“The people of Madeira have the right to vote, the people must choose the next government of the region. The government, within the current parliamentary framework, does not guarantee the stability of the region, since it has lost all political legitimacy,” they argue.

Former Funchal mayor Pedro Calado and two businessmen detained three weeks ago as part of an investigation into suspected corruption in Madeira were released on Wednesday, subject to identification and residence, following a decision by Lisbon’s criminal investigation judge.

According to a ruling by Lisbon Central Criminal Court judge Jorge Bernardes de Melo, a less serious preventive measure was applied to the former municipal president Pedro Calado (PSD), as well as to businessman Avelino Fariña. , leader of the AFA construction group, and Custódio Correia, the main shareholder of the civil engineering group Socicorreia.

On Friday, prosecutors asked for preventive detention for the three defendants, the most serious measure.

On January 24, the Judicial Police (JP) carried out some 130 searches at home and outside, mainly in Madeira, but also in the Azores and several areas of the continent, as part of the process of investigating suspicions of active and passive actions. corruption, economic involvement in business, malfeasance, receiving or offering of undue advantage, abuse of power and undue influence.

On that day, the SP detained the then president of the Chamber of Funchal, who has since resigned from his position, and two businessmen.

The President of the Regional Government of Madeira (PSD/CDS-PP), Miguel Albuquerque, was indicted and ultimately resigned from his position, leading to the dismissal of the leader.

The representative of the Republic of Madeira, Ireneu Barreto, is received on Friday by the President of the Republic at the Belem Palace in Lisbon, before announcing his decision on the political crisis in the region.

The PSD and CDS-PP, which govern the region in a coalition with parliamentary support from the PAN, are pushing for the appointment of a new executive leader, believing that the parliamentary majority has the legitimacy to support a new regional government, thus seeking to avoid the expected elections defended by the remaining parties with seats in hemispheres.