Vila Nova de Gaia, Porto, October 7, 2025 — The concluding arguments in the trial of former Gaia Mayor Luís Filipe Menezes, accused of defaming former mayor Eduardo Vítor Rodrigues, were postponed today. The hearings were set for 9:30 AM at the Vila Nova de Gaia Court, Porto district, but were deferred due to health issues of Menezes’ lawyer, who is a candidate in these local elections for the PSD/CDS-PP/IL coalition.The case originated from an October 2023 Facebook post by the former Gaia mayor, in which he accused Eduardo Vítor Rodrigues (PS), the then-mayor, of interfering in a licensing process involving his land. Menezes (PSD) blamed Rodrigues for orchestrating “criminal manipulations” such as altering technical opinions to harm him and stated he had reported the case to authorities.
On March 27, the day the trial commenced, Menezes reiterated that Rodrigues interfered in the licensing process of his land.
“Everything written there is true,” stated Menezes during his appearance before the judge at the Vila Nova de Gaia Court.
In his testimony, Menezes admitted being angry when he made the post but insisted he would write it again because a law-abiding citizen “cannot and should not be subjected to this,” referring to the entire process regarding the licensing of his land where he intended to build a house but ultimately did not.
On the same day, speaking to journalists after the court hearing, Eduardo Vítor Rodrigues, who lost his mandate, described Menezes’ Facebook post as “atrocious violence, completely false, regrettable, miserable, and shameful.” Labeling Menezes a “liar,” Rodrigues believed that what the social democrat sought during the land licensing was preferential treatment.
