A program concerning the construction of social housing in Venezuela has drawn attention in a trial where the former politician claimed it was approved in March 2007 by Venezuela and brought to the attention of the Portuguese government in February 2008.
The visit to Venezuela, invited by then-Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez, took place in May 2008.
The suspect transfers, totaling 2,375,000 euros, occurred between February and June 2007. The prosecution believes these were bribes paid by the Lena Group to the then prime minister for preferential support in a bid for a housing project in Venezuela.
“Someone paid another a million euros [in the first transfer] for a project that nobody in Portugal knew existed, […] more than a year before the state visit began, before a conversation with Venezuela [to] enhance economic cooperation, but even before the Venezuelans themselves knew they wanted to build houses,” remarked José Sócrates on the fourth day of questioning at the Operation Marquês trial.
According to the 2017 indictment, the amounts were transferred by Lena Group administrator Joaquim Barroca to businessman Carlos Santos Silva, whom the prosecution considers a frontman for the former prime minister in receiving alleged bribes.
Today, the head of government between 2005 and 2011 insisted the money was not his.
“The explanation for the transfers should be sought from [Joaquim Barroca and Carlos Santos Silva],” he emphasized.
The former prime minister, aged 67, faces charges on 22 counts, including three of corruption for allegedly receiving money to favor different dossiers involving the Lena Group, Espírito Santo Group (GES), and Vale do Lobo estate in the Algarve.
The trial includes 21 defendants in total, collectively facing 117 economic and financial crimes.
The trial began on July 3 at the Central Criminal Court of Lisbon, almost 11 years after José Sócrates was detained.
The defendants generally deny any wrongdoing.
