José Sena Foulão / Lusa
The Chief of Staff of the Navy, Admiral Henrique Gouveia e Melo
Admiral Henrique Gouveia e Melo has reportedly informed the Government that he is not available to be reappointed as Chief of Staff of the Navy. The path is thus clear for a candidacy for Belém – which should be announced in March.
Gouveia e Melo doesn’t want be reappointed head of General Staff of the Navy.
The news was announced on Saturday night by , which states that the Admiral has already informed the Government, through .
The Minister of Defense would have been instructed by Luís Montenegro to evaluate the availability of Gouveia e Melo to continue leading the Navy.
According to the Observer, the Admiral is not available, although, in statements to the same newspaper, he referred the matter to the Government: “It is the Government who will be able to confirm or not this information. It has been discussed for some time with the Government“.
To be confirmed, Gouveia e Melo opens the way for a race to Belém.
According to , the announcement candidacy for the Presidency of the Republic should happen in March.
The same channel says that Gouveia é Melo – who leaves his position as Chief of Staff of the Navy on December 27th – should go into reserve at the end of March and, at that time, should present his candidacy for Belém.
In 2021, in statements to Lusa, the Admiral said that he did not feel the need to make his contribution as a politician, highlighting that the military and politicians are completely different.
“I don’t feel the need to give [o meu contributo] as a politician, firstly because I’m not prepared for it, I think I would make a terrible politician and I also think we should separate what is military from what is political, because they are completely different fields of action”, he said, on that occasion.
However, after these statements, in allusions to a possible candidacy, Gouveia e Melo refused to say.
A candidacy for Belém now seems closer than ever.
