Last Saturday, the President of the Republic denied having any influence or interference in the case of two Portuguese-Brazilian twins who received treatment worth four million euros at the Hospital de Santa Maria in Lisbon, as last was noticed on Friday. honestly, in the Exclusivo program, on TVI’s Jornal Nacional.
“What is at stake here is: did the President of the Republic interfere or not? I said yesterday that he hadn’t done that. If he had, I would have said so. No, I didn’t. I said nothing. with the prime minister, I have not spoken to the minister, I have not spoken to the secretary of state, I have not spoken to the general manager, I have not spoken to the president of the hospital or the board of directors, I have not spoken”guaranteed Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa in statements to journalists.
The TVI report states that Santa Maria Hospital has started an audit to clarify how two twins living in Brazil received treatment for spinal muscular atrophy – the condition of the two children – in June 2020 for a total of four million euros. The drug, which is taken in one dose, is called Zolgensma and costs two million euros per dose.
Minister denies knowledge
To gain access to the drug, in addition to a trip from Brazil to Portugal, according to the statements of the twins’ mother during the TVI report, Daniela Martins, use was made of “contacts” that would have gone through the “daughter-in-law of the President’ Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, who lives in São Paulo, and who at the time also involved the ‘Minister of Health’, and an email to the hospital with ‘superior orders’. At the time, the head of the Health portfolio was Marta Temido, who in the TVI report denied any knowledge of the case, apart from a brief reference to the twins, and even judged that “they had failed to produce the drug”. Speaking to DN, the former governor confirmed that she believes she was aware of the case of children needing treatment. “but nothing special.” “Since several babies underwent treatment, this could not be a specific case”said Marta Temido. “After the report we make more of an effort to remember than during a phone call, and I made that effort and I don’t know if it had to do with the issue of the fundraising campaign that was promoted because there was also multiple references to it at the time these campaigns”the former health minister added.
Neuropediatricians send a letter to the former government
In the report, the current president of Centro Hospitalar Lisboa Norte, Ana Paula Martins, also mentioned that “it is being talked about,” reviving the idea that there was top-down interference to allow the twins to get the million dollar drug dollar, even though there was no supporting document. A source from Centro Hospitalar Lisboa Norte confirmed this to DN on Friday “the neuropediatricians say they sent a letter to the previous board of directors, which, as the current president explained, is not in the board’s file”. Therefore, “the case will follow its internal procedures,” the source concluded.
The president is threatening justice
Despite guaranteeing that he will not sue the journalists who made the report, Marcelo admits that he will go to court if “someone appears” and insists that “the president spoke to someone in the hospital” so that the treatment can progress. “Then I have no other remedy, not against the media, who are not responsible for this, than to ultimately go to court to compare my truth with the truth of that person. If that happens. For a very simple reason. It is the defense of the honor of the President of the Republic, cannot be suspected”he concluded.
No immunity for “cases”
“What is interesting about this position is that it seems that the politics of business and affairs are beginning to influence the President of the Republic,” António Costa Pinto, professor of political science at ISCTE – Instituto Universitário de Lisboa, told DN. In other words, the classic dimensions that influence the political elite, with accusations in the press, possibly of cronyism, of conflict of interests, that often affect ministers, regardless of whether this coincides with reality or not, are now apparently also beginning to influence the president. of the Republic,” adds the political scientist.
Without more information about this specific case, the President of the Republic has been under media scrutiny several times. “Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa has always had a very liberal and open relationship with the media”the political scientist analyzes and adds “Maybe you will eventually feel the other side of the coin with this case, for example”.
Source: DN
