“It is the death of a friend. Above all, I had a strong friendship with Dr. Francisco Pinto Balsemão since the 1980s,” stated Luís Marques Mendes, former social-democratic leader and member of the Council of State, to SIC Notícias.
Marques Mendes described Francisco Pinto Balsemão as “a friend of his friend, a loyal person, a supportive person, a person of character, and an upright person.”
“I indeed lose a great friend here,” he emphasized.
On the political front, the presidential candidate regarded Pinto Balsemão’s contribution in 1982 as “a decisive contribution to the constitutional revision.”
“It is perhaps the most significant and historical aspect of his entire life in democracy. Because the 1982 constitutional revision was historic for Portugal: it ended the Revolutionary Council, introduced the civil consolidation of our regime, and adapted our regime to the European mark and tradition. I think he still has not been properly honored for the remarkable role he played that year and in that constitutional revision,” stated Luís Marques Mendes.
The former minister from Cavaco Silva’s governments further noted that Francisco Pinto Balsemão serves as “an absolutely indispensable example and reference in press freedom and freedom of information in Portugal.”
“Journalist, founder of Expresso even before April 25, knowing the decisive contribution Expresso had in the fight against the regime. Later, he was the founder of SIC and a great fighter for private initiative in the television domain,” he highlighted.
Marques Mendes also mentioned that a few weeks ago, in his capacity as president of the political commission of his presidential candidacy, he sent a message when he couldn’t attend the first meeting.
“A message that I made sure to make public at the time. I believe it was Dr. Francisco Pinto Balsemão’s last public intervention,” he added.
Graduated in Law from the Faculty of Law of the University of Lisbon, Francisco Pinto Balsemão was born on September 1, 1937, in Lisbon. A journalist, businessman, and politician, he was one of the founders of the PPD, now PSD, Prime Minister between January 1981 and June 1983, and party president between 1980 and 1983.
A deputy of the so-called liberal wing in the previous regime, during which he was co-author of projects for constitutional revision, press law, reunion and association law, and religious freedom law. After April 25, 1974, he served as vice-president of the Constituent Assembly, having been both a parliamentarian and a government official.
Francisco Pinto Balsemão founded the newspaper Expresso before April 25, created the first democratic press law, and established the media group Impresa.
On October 6, 1992, he launched SIC, a generalist channel project, but it now includes five thematic channels – SIC Notícias, SIC Radical, SIC Mulher, SIC Kids, and SIC Caras – along with SIC Internacional and the streaming service Opto, launched in November 2020.
