It certainly wasn’t the thought of a young Portuguese politician who suddenly saw the ground slipping from under his feet and called, for example, Pedro Nuno Santos, who called the Brazilian poet Carlos Drummond de Andrade (1902-1987) wrote Josephpoem first published in 1942.
In the midst of World War II, and in the context of the Brazilian dictatorship led by President Getúlio Vargas (1882-1954), Carlos Drummond de Andrade, through a fictional character (Joseph) the portrait of a man (or even an entire nation) who loses everything (“AND now, jose? / The party ended, / the lights went out, / the people disappeared, / the night grew cold, / what now, José?“). But who, if only through sheer inertia, clings to life: “Sand you got tired, / when you died… / But you don’t die, / you’re tough, José!”
Pedro Nuno Santos celebrates his 46th birthday today. He is undoubtedly living through the most difficult moment of his already long political career and since January, when he retired at home, he has not stopped reporting on his life. There are revelations in the Parliamentary Commission of Inquiry (CPI) of TAP, a company that (with the Ministry of Finance) has co-monitored since he became Minister of Infrastructure, in October 2019. For example, it was revealed that Alexandra Reis volunteered for Pedro Nuno Santos, the then minister responsible for the company to resign from the position of administrator without compensation (which would be half a million euros) and that she simply did not do so because there was no response from the ministry.
Pedro Nuno Santos also bears the consequences of being the minister of a Secretary of State, Hugo Mendes, who behaved “pernicious and stupid” (words of the President of the PS, Carlos César) by the CEO of TAP, Christine, to ask Ourmières -Widener to change the date of a flight from Maputo to Lisbon with the President of the Republic.
At the beginning of January, Pedro Nunos Santos left the government (João Galamba took over Infrastructure and Marina Gonçalves took over Housing). At the same time, he announced that he was resigning from the leadership of the PS – a decision to symbolize that this was the end of a cycle in his political life (and thus the beginning of a new one). He could have immediately resumed his seat as a deputy, but he suspended his mandate because he claimed he needed a vacation. The return is scheduled for early July. But will it come back?
He doesn’t want to talk. But those who know him well assure that, while the (rather) stronger inclination is to stick to the decision to return, the possibility of, as a friend puts it, “getting in the mood” and prolonging the political absence, knocks on the door.
In fact, and though for infinitely less serious reasons, Pedro Nuno looks Joseph by Drummond de Andrade, times of fear and uncertainty. The work of the Commission of Inquiry has already weakened it quite a bit and with dozens of personalities still to be heard, it is impossible to rule out that this wear and tear will continue for several more weeks.
The conclusions of the Inspectorate General of Finance already show that the departure of Alexandra Reis from the board of TAP took place irregularly. And that happened when Pedro Nuno Santos was the minister in charge of the company.
The degree of wear and tear could be such that he concludes that he is definitely no longer able to fulfill the dream of one day succeeding António Costa in the leadership of the PS. What secrets are hidden in the documents received by the committee? What secrets in the documents will you get? What surprises await future followers? There are too many variables – and over which the former minister has no control.
CPI with extended mandate
Officially, the mandate of the CPI expires on May 23. But all members already know that – as usual in these committees – the work will have to be expanded. It is the intention, as DN has learned from parliamentary sources, to finalize them by the end of the legislature, ie mid-July. The rapporteur is already known: the socialist deputy Ana Paula Bernardo (UGT leader and former adviser to the Presidency of the Republic).
As for the testimony of Pedro Nuno Santos, what is known is the following: all members of the government and former government members to be heard will be at the end of the works. And looking at the time band, that is, starting from the oldest and progressing to the most recent.
The current finance ministers, Fernando Medina, and infrastructure ministers, João Galamba, will therefore be heard last. Pedro Nuno Santos will be right in front of it. And meanwhile he ponders guilt, disappointment, hatred and revenge, which fuels his survival: not handing the cup over to those who want to bring it down.
Source: DN
