Mismanagement Of Public Funds?
In October 2022, Miguel Albuquerque, accompanied by his partner, embarked on an official trip to Curaçao and Venezuela. Notably, the airline tickets for this journey were issued 10 days before the Madeira regional government greenlit the service and 11 days prior to launching the public tender.
The 13-member delegation incurred a total cost of €96,836 (including VAT), covering airfares, accommodation, meals, and transfers. The trip, spanning from October 9 to 18, 2022, is currently under investigation for alleged mismanagement of public funds and suspected favoritism toward a company associated with Avelino Farinha, a businessman previously detained in the Madeira case.
Élvio Sousa / JPP Shed’s Light On The Case
The questionable issuance of these tickets was revealed in a report from the Administrative and Fiscal Court of Funchal in November 2023, following a complaint by Élvio Sousa, the general secretary of the JPP party. To secure the travel services, the regional government initiated a bidding process through a prior consultation.
On September 28, several companies were allegedly invited to submit proposals by 4:00 PM the next day, but only one company, Rameventos, owned by the 'Diário de Notícias' company and linked to Avelino Farinha’s group, responded. Rameventos proposed a detailed breakdown of expenses for the trip, including €58,925 for tickets (VAT exempt), €23,475 for accommodation, and €7,600 for transfers.
Albuquerque Blocks, Regional Government Provides Documents
Documents related to the trip were provided by the regional government following a judicial summons. Despite sending several inquiries to Miguel Albuquerque, no response was received by the time of this edition's closure. The allegations of impropriety in the trip are currently under investigation.
From: Correio da Manhã
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