The new Secretary of State for National Defense, Carlos Lopes Pires, said on Wednesday that he hopes to use his experience as a diplomat and in the intelligence services to help Minister Helena Carreiras with her “demanding task”.
Carlos Lopes Pires, who has been director of the Strategic Defense Information Service (SIED) since 2019, spoke briefly to journalists outside Lisbon’s Belém Palace after taking office as Secretary of State for National Defense.
“Today I am not speaking, today I thank you for your presence and I am very honored to have been elected and to deserve the trust of the President of the Republic, the Prime Minister and of course the Minister of National Defense, with whom I will be working” , the new ruler began.
When asked if he believes his training as a diplomat will help him fulfill the functions of Secretary of State for Defense, Carlos Lopes Pires replied: “I think so, I think my education will help, as well as now the information “.
Referring to the fact that “Portuguese foreign policy has three pillars, namely diplomacy, information and defense”, he added: diplomat and information , and now at Defense, where I have already worked, to help the minister as best as possible”.
Then, questioned about the lawsuits related to National Defense, Carlos Lopes Pires stated: “I have just taken office and I only hope to gain the trust of those with whom I will work and interact, and to gain the confidence of all Portuguese ” .
“And to show that I do indeed live up to the expectations and confidence placed in me by the highest authorities and to be able to do my part to help the minister in this demanding task that is due to her,” he concluded.
Carlos Lopes Pires, a professional diplomat, replaced Marco Capitão Ferreira, who resigned as Secretary of State for National Defense on July 7, the day he was appointed as a defendant in the “Perfect Storm” trial, which led the judicial police to the Ministry of Defense .
The new Secretary of State expressed “deep commitment” to contributing “to the continuation of the strengthening of national defence” and the “projection of excellence and prestige” of the Portuguese Armed Forces, in “close cooperation with the General Head of State – General- Major of the Armed Forces and Chiefs of Departments”.
“I will do my best and know how,” he said.
Born in Beirut on September 10, 1973, the new Secretary of State holds a degree in International Relations from the Higher Institute of Social and Political Sciences (ISCSP) of the Technical University of Lisbon and a Masters in European Studies from the London School of Economics.
Between 2003 and 2008 he was seconded to the Portuguese delegation to NATO in Brussels.
He was assistant in the cabinet of the Minister of Foreign Affairs Luís Amado, between 2010 and 2011, and then assistant in the cabinet of Prime Minister Pedro Passos Coelho, between 2011 and 2013.
In 2013, he was Chief of Staff to the Deputy Secretary of State and European Affairs Miguel Morais Leitão. Subsequently, between 2013 and 2014, he was Chief of Cabinet of Minister of State and Foreign Affairs Rui Machete.
He visited the embassies of São Tomé, Cairo and Paris.
Source: DN
