President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa and Prime Minister Luís Montenegro have paid tribute to Álvaro Laborinho Lúcio, the former Minister of Justice who passed away on Thursday morning at the age of 83.
In a statement on the Presidency of the Republic’s website, Marcelo expressed “deep sorrow” over the death of the retired Supreme Court judge, referring to him as a “leading figure in the field of Justice”.
“Laborinho Lúcio was always ahead of his time, combining his unique professional qualities with a humanist culture, civic ethics, and a profound sense of service to the country. Ecumenical in his personality and in his impact on Portuguese society, he influenced successive generations of jurists, always with affable and charming conduct,” the statement reads.
Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa noted that Laborinho Lúcio “held high offices in public service,” “always defending human rights, and consistently fighting for the uncompromising protection of children’s rights in all their aspects.”
“The President of the Republic, who lost a friend today, offers his heartfelt condolences to his family, the Supreme Court of Justice, and Laborinho Lúcio’s friends,” the statement continues.
Prime Minister Luís Montenegro took to social media to mourn the death of the “illustrious jurist, former Minister of Justice, and distinguished writer”, who “was exemplary in civic and political participation and dedication to public service and our country”.
“I offer my sincere condolences to the family and friends and express deep gratitude,” he stated.
Deixou-nos, aos 83 anos, Álvaro Laborinho Lúcio. Ilustre jurista, antigo Ministro da Justiça e distinto escritor, foi exemplar na participação cívica e política e na dedicação à causa pública e ao nosso País. Deixo à família e aos amigos sentidas condolências e um profundo…
— Luís Montenegro (@LMontenegro_PT) October 23, 2025
Álvaro Laborinho Lúcio, former Minister of Justice, died early Thursday morning at the age of 83. The news was initially reported by CNN Portugal and confirmed to the Lusa news agency by Nazaré Mayor, Manuel Sequeira.
According to the mayor, Laborinho Lúcio’s body will be placed in a chapel in Coimbra today, and later transported to another chapel in Nazaré, in the district of Leiria.
A retired Supreme Court judge, Laborinho Lúcio served as the State Secretary for Judicial Administration and Minister of Justice under Prime Minister Cavaco Silva, from 1990 to 1995.
In 2003, he assumed the position of Minister of the Republic for the Azores, which he held until 2006 during Jorge Sampaio’s presidency.
He was also a Public Prosecutor at the Court of Appeal in Coimbra, an inspector at the Public Prosecutor’s Office, Deputy Attorney General, and Director of both the Judicial Police School and the Center for Judicial Studies.
In Nazaré’s municipal government, he served as the president of the Municipal Assembly during Jorge Barroso’s (PSD) executive term.
More recently, he was part of the Independent Commission for the Study of Child Sexual Abuse in the Portuguese Catholic Church.
O antigo ministro da Justiça Álvaro Laborinho Lúcio morreu, durante a madrugada desta quinta-feira, aos 83 anos.
Notícias ao Minuto | 08:24 – 23/10/2025
Álvaro Laborinho Lúcio was born in Nazaré on December 1, 1941. In his youth, he was an amateur actor, participating in the creation of the Nazaré Theatre Group.
He attended the Faculty of Law at the University of Coimbra, where he earned a degree in Law and completed a Complementary Course in Legal Sciences.
Laborinho Lúcio was a member of associations such as the Portuguese Association for Victim Support (APAV) and CRESCER-SER, of which he was a founding member.
Between 2013 and 2017, he served as president of the General Council of the University of Minho and was an elected member of the International Academy of Portuguese Culture.
He ventured into fiction writing in 2014 with ‘O Chamador’, published by Quetzal, and released four more titles until last year: ‘O Homem que Escrevia Azulejos’, ‘O Beco da Liberdade’, ‘As Sombras de uma Azinheira’, and the book of chronicles and other texts ‘A Vida na Selva’.
In March of this year, he published, with Odete Severino Soares and illustrations by Catarina Sobral, the book “Marília ou a Justiça das Crianças” through Zigurate.
He was decorated in 2005 by President Jorge Sampaio with the Grand Cross of the Order of Christ.
