Carlos Eduardo Reis
Tutti-frutti “is a lot of fruit” for the PSD, but mayors are still in office, although they are accused in the case that made 60 defendants this week, suspected of more than 460 crimes.
The investigation of Operation Tutti-Frutti F this Tuesday, including several PSD mayors and leaders, but has not so far resulted in the suspension of the accused’s municipal positions.
Although the party direction led by Luís Montenegro demanded the departure of the deputies involved through the parliamentary leader Hugo Soares – namely Luís Newtonwhich has already suspended the mandate, and Carlos Eduardo Reis (which should do so soon, when they return from vacation-the mayors will remain at their posts.
“I believe the immediate conditions for the exercise of the mandate are not gathered and I hope that Mr Carlos Eduardo Reis can also suspend his term,” said parliamentary leader Hugo Soares after Newton does. But he stressed that the PSD deputies accused were not argued in the 2024 legislatures.
The Presidents of the Parish Councils of Estrela, Araeiro and Santo António (Newton), as well as the councilman of Barcelos City Council (Carlos Reis) will continue to perform functions. Supported by Kings, Newton argues that he “headed a list to which they were elected by the people” and that “voters already knew many of the facts [acusações] When they elected them last time [em 2021]”.
Luís Newton, despite suspending his term as a deputy, continues to perform three other relief functions: President of the Parish Council of Estrela, leader of the PSD municipal bench at the Lisbon Municipal Assembly and president of the PSD/Lisboa council. Even under pressure from justice, it has been present in recent political events.
Carlos Eduardo Reis, accused of 22 crimes This week, including active corruption, influence trafficking and laundering of capital, should suspend the mandate of deputy, but will not abdicate the function of councilor of Barcelos City Council, where it holds important pillings such as planning and urban management. Its departure from the Assembly of the Republic is being negotiated to avoid direct conflict with the direction of the PSD.
Carlos Reis companies will have guaranteed several contracts with parish councils in exchange for payments, including a monthly rental of a Mercedes, and the services provided by their firms were considered fictitious by the prosecutor.
Luís Newton faces 10 accusationsfive for passive corruption and five by prevarication. Will have hired services to benefit personal and party contacts. One case involves a gardening contract for 132,000 euros to a PSD -related company, which subcontracted another entity to perform the service for less than half of the value. Newton will also have received monetary counterparts and a trip funded by Huawei.
While the departure of accused deputies was immediately required, the situation of the mayors was not the subject of the same political pressure. A former PSD-Lisbon leader described the scenario as a “Titanic”.
“It looks like Titanic, the band continues to play and they continue as if nothing passed“He told the observer.
