Former Supreme Court judge and Justice Minister Álvaro Laborinho Lúcio, who served under the governments led by Aníbal Cavaco Silva, has passed away at the age of 83.
Born in Nazaré, Álvaro José Brilhante Laborinho Lúcio completed his law degree at the University of Coimbra, also obtaining an advanced diploma in Legal Sciences.
Throughout his career, he held various positions such as Deputy Attorney General, Director of the Judicial Police School and Judicial Studies Center, and served as a Supreme Court judge and member of the High Council for the Judiciary.
In the governments led by Aníbal Cavaco Silva, he first served as Secretary of State for Judicial Administration before becoming Justice Minister.
“He was a member of parliament in the VII legislature, notable for his work on Justice and Human Rights issues. From 2003 to 2006, he was the minister of the Republic for the Azores and also served as president of the Nazaré Municipal Assembly,” according to an official statement.
The proposal by José Pedro Aguiar-Branco highlighted Laborinho Lúcio’s “remarkable civic commitment” throughout his life.
“He was the first partner of the Portuguese Association for Victim Support and a founding member of the Crescer Ser Association, involved in numerous social initiatives linked to Juvenile and Family Law, and participated in the Catholic Church’s efforts to enhance the protection of minors, being part of the Independent Commission promoted by the Portuguese Episcopal Conference,” it states.
Furthermore, Laborinho Lúcio was a professor of Criminal Law at the Universidade Autónoma de Lisboa and a member of the General Council of the University of Minho, which awarded him the title of Doctor Honoris Causa in Educational Sciences.
“In 2005, he received the Grand Cross of the Military Order of Christ. He left us over a dozen books, many of them focused on Justice,” it adds.
On Thursday, President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa expressed his condolences over the death of former Minister Álvaro Laborinho Lúcio, remembering him as a “leading figure” in justice who was “always ahead of his time.”
