“I am very proud of the role it plays in my application” – O Jornal Económico

The former socialist MEP and candidate for the presidency of the Republic Ana Gomes came out this Friday in defense of former minister Paulo Pedroso, who will integrate the organizational structure of his electoral campaign. Ana Gomes is assumed “proud” to support the return of Paulo Pedroso to active politics, after being established as a defendant in the Casa Pia process but not having been pronounced in court, and says that he was the victim of a “tremendous injustice.”

“I trust Paulo Pedroso. I know him well. He is my friend. He was acquitted by the Portuguese courts and by the European Court of Human Rights, which also condemned the Portuguese State for the tremendous injustice it suffered due to the errors of our justice ”, said Ana Gomes, to RTP, after the candidate also for the president of the Republic, André Ventura, even accused Ana Gomes of being the “Casa Pia candidate”.

When asked about André Ventura’s criticism, the diplomat and former MEP quoted former US First Lady Michelle Obama as saying that “when we play low, we play high.” “If there are those who are afraid, let them be upset, since they buy a dog. I proudly support Paulo Pedroso and, in fact, I am very grateful for the role he has in the organizational structure of my candidacy, ”he reiterated.

In a written statement to the Lusa agency, Ana Gomes had already mentioned that she feels “very proud” to be able to count on the collaboration of Paulo Pedroso, “a socialist of all times, an illustrious sociologist and university professor, a militant of the democratic left, who he exercised, with competence and seriousness, the most varied positions at the service of the Republic ”, remembering that he will be“ always on the side of the aggrieved ”.

Paulo Pedroso was Minister of Labor and Solidarity in the Government of António Guterres. In 2003, he was charged in the Casa Pia case, charged with the crimes of child sexual abuse. He was in preventive detention for four months and, in 2006, the Criminal Investigation Court determined that there was no basis for the trial, so he was considered free of charge.

The European Court of Human Rights sued, in 2018, the Portuguese State to compensate it for 68 thousand euros, considering that there were no plausible reasons for the crimes of rape of minors that led to the arrest of Paulo Pedroso. The case, however, dictated a prolonged withdrawal from political life, having worked abroad for several years. In January, he announced that he was no longer a member of the PS.

He was married to the PS parliamentary leader, Ana Catarina Mendes, who recently wrote on Facebook that “Paulo Pedroso has every right to be what he wants.” “He is a free man, without any guilt that weighs or can be attributed to him. Respect for the rule of law requires that what is not condemned in court is not condemned on the street ”, he defended, noting that he was“ acquitted of a monstrous charge ”.

Ana Gomes became the candidate of Casa Pia. If you have a modicum of respect for the Portuguese, remove Paulo Pedroso from the coordination of this campaign. The level of this presidential campaign will depend on this! https://t.co/oKYSbfPr0H

– André Ventura (@AndreCVentura) September 24, 2020