The transcription of one of the Operation Influencer wiretaps contains an error, already recognized by the Public Prosecutor’s Office, according to CNN. Instead of António Costa Silva, Minister of Economy, the name of António Costa, Prime Minister appears.
According to the television station, the issue is the transcription of a telephone tap between Lacerda Machado and Afonso Salema, consultant and administrator of Start Campus, respectively, on August 31, 2022. In this conversation, the former would exert influence with António Costa Silva, but the name António Costa appears in the transcription.
In that phone call, according to CNN, Afonso Salema wants Diogo Lacerda Machada to approach the Government so that a change in terms of economic activity codes for data centers can be raised with the European Commission. “Okay. I’ll decipher whether it’s Economy or Finance. If it’s Finance, I’ll talk to Medina (minister) or António Mendes, who is the Secretary of State. If it’s Economy, I’ll find a way after getting to António himself. Costa”, responds the consultant, according to the transcript.
However, in the conversation, Lacerda Machado did not mention the name António Costa, but António Costa Silva.
This morning, upon arrival at the Justice Campus, Lacerda Machado’s lawyer confirmed that the mistake was detected by him. “Dr. Lacerda Machado signaled to the MP that there was this lapse and the MP recognized it,” said Magalhães e Silva.
“What Dr. Lacerda Machado says is that, if it’s with the Ministry of Finance, he’ll talk to Fernando Medina, if it’s Economy ‘I’ll find a way to talk’ – and what is transcribed – with António Costa. Now this is absurd, Dr. Lacerda Machado, if you want to speak to Dr. António Costa, pick up your cell phone and call him, what was at stake was speaking to the Minister of Economy, António Costa Silva”, he explained.
The lawyer reinforced that what is heard during the listening session is Lacerda Machado mentioning the name of the Minister of Economy. “When listening you hear ‘António Costa Silva’. I’ll repeat: ‘António Costa Silva'”.
According to Magalhães e Silva, this was the only hearing in the indictment in which Lacerda Machado made direct reference to the Prime Minister, António Costa.
“Olapses, when they are involuntary, are obviously not serious at all from a subjective point of view, they are only serious from an objective point of view. Whether it was intentional or not, I do not insult the Public Prosecutor’s Office”, stated the Lacerda Machado’s lawyer.
Also this morning, at the Justice Campus, the lawyer for Prime Minister Vítor Escária’s former chief of staff refused to comment on the oversight.
“I’m tired of the comments from various commentators who don’t know the process, who don’t know anything, but everyone has a lot to say about this process and therefore I’m not going to say anything more,” he said. Pressured by journalists about the change of names, Tiago Rodrigues Bastos said. “Is life”.
The Prime Minister resigned on Tuesday after learning that his name had been mentioned by those involved in the Public Prosecutor’s Office investigation into the lithium, hydrogen and Sines data center business, leading the President of the Republic to dissolve the Assembly of the Republic and call legislative elections for March 10.
(Updated at 11:25 am with statements from lawyers)
