Henrique Gouveia e Melo has recently been involved in a controversy regarding the reasons for his candidacy for the Presidency of the Republic.
The admiral admitted in an interview for the book “Gouveia e Melo – As Razões,” which will be available on November 24, that he decided to run for presidency after reading an article in Expresso in October 2024.
“That article was what made me set my course. Because when I read it, I got really annoyed,” he told Valentina Marcelino, journalist and deputy editor of Diário de Notícias.
The article allegedly prompting Gouveia e Melo’s presidential bid suggested that Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa intended to reappoint Gouveia e Melo as Chief of the Navy to prevent his presidential candidacy. In other words, it was the attempt by the current President of the Republic to deter the admiral that “led him to run”.
Meanwhile, Gouveia e Melo has countered that the news “is false,” asserting that “there certainly was a misinterpretation of what is written”.
Lusa “rejected and repudiated” the accusations by the presidential candidate, prompting the admiral to publish the relevant section of the book, not yet released, for individuals to draw their conclusions.
The presidential candidate Henrique Gouveia e Melo accuses the news agency Lusa of publishing a false report concerning the motivation behind his candidacy. Conversely, the news agency denies these allegations. The admiral has since opted to pre-publish the contentious pages.
Carolina Pereira Soares | 19:22 – 10/11/2025
Did Marcelo try to stop the admiral’s candidacy? “It’s a problem from the past”
In the RTP’s Grande Entrevista on Monday night, Gouveia e Melo reiterated that it is false that an alleged intervention by Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa deterred him to run for the Presidential office.
“A news report surfaced claiming that the President had a decisive role in my decision, and that is not true,” he declared.
“This news is based on a book, a book of interviews, and there is nothing like checking the interview itself. In that interview, I do not say that, and hence it is a false claim attributed to me,” he reinforced.
When asked if he had or currently holds the belief that Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa tried in any way to prevent his candidacy, Gouveia e Melo replied that, for him, that belief is “small-time politics.” “That was not the conviction that made me decide one way or another, and that problem is a problem of the past for me. What matters to me are the problems of the future,” the admiral stated.
The presidential candidate Henrique Gouveia e Melo denied that his decision to run was influenced by a supposed attempt by Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa to halt his candidacy.
Carolina Pereira Soares | 22:44 – 10/11/2025
Marcelo has already reacted (Marques Mendes and Seguro too)
Responding to the controversy, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, currently on an official visit to Angola, stated yesterday that while in office as President, he never had “undermined relations with anyone”.
“As a sitting President, he never experienced having undermined relations with anyone. I don’t know if it’s a quality or a flaw, but that’s just the nature of this President, who fosters relationships with everyone, regardless of personalities, political, religious, social, or economic areas.” It’s just the way he is. One is born like this and remains so until death,” he noted.
Presidential candidate Luís Marques Mendes accused his opponent Gouveia e Melo of making blunders, entering contradictions, and sparking turmoil and controversy, qualities he deems inappropriate for a President of the Republic.
“Admiral Gouveia e Melo, whenever he speaks, tends toward three things: either to make some blunders, enter contradictions, or incite turmoil and controversy,” stated the social democrat, arguing that “these are not good traits for someone aspiring to be President of the Republic.”
“I see it as indicative of a great political immaturity in this candidate,” commented the PS-supported candidate, refraining from further remarks on the controversy.
Read Also: Did Marcelo try to stop the admiral’s candidacy? “It’s a problem from the past”
