Sócrates Accuses Public Prosecutor of Political Bias in Investigations Against Former Leaders

Sócrates' Accusations Against the Public Prosecutor

José Sócrates, the former Prime Minister, has made serious allegations against the Public Prosecutor's Office (MP), claiming it acts differently depending on which party is in power. In an opinion piece published in the Diário de Notícias, he referred to how, in November 2023, the judiciary initiated a criminal process against António Costa based on reasons that remain unclear. He stated, “The government fell, the absolute majority faded, and five months later the right returned to power. A perfect coup.”

Discrepancies in Investigations

Sócrates emphasized that the treatment was not the same for Luís Montenegro, asserting that the current Prime Minister received payments from private groups during his term, yet the MP did not pursue any investigation into this matter. “The country learned that the current Prime Minister received fees from private groups throughout his tenure — and the Public Prosecutor opened no investigation,” he remarked.

Political Crisis and Double Standards

He pointed out that these payments could lead to a political crisis, stating, “It’s not just the payments, but the political motivation behind criminal investigations: against socialist governments, there is all violence; against PSD governments, there is all understanding.”

Uninvestigated Suspicions

Sócrates also recalled Pedro Passos Coelho, suggesting that Brazilian authorities had shared suspicions with Portuguese officials regarding a political campaign linked to André Gustavo Vieira da Silva. He lamented that this specific suspicion has never been investigated, saying, “Ten years have passed, but the behavior remains the same: the payments do not warrant investigation.” He concluded by highlighting the dual moral crisis within penal institutions, where one side investigates everything while the other conceals it, with politics determining the difference.