On an official trip to Brazil for the celebrations of the Bicentennial of Independence, the Chief of Staff of the Portuguese Navy, Admiral Henrique Gouveia e Melo, 61, became a celebrity in his country. In charge of the Covid-19 Vaccination Task Force, he helped consolidate Portugal as one of the world leaders in immunization.
The public projection obtained in the fight against the pandemic generates speculation about a future candidacy for the Presidency – in July, a survey indicated him in the leadership among possible candidates for the Palace of Belém in the still distant election of 2026. The military prefers not to comment.
Born in Mozambique, when the country was a Portuguese colony, Gouveia e Melo lived in Brazil as a teenager, between 1975 and 1979. He even took the entrance exam in São Paulo, but says that his desire to return to Portugal spoke louder. “I have a very personal relationship with Brazil, part of my family stayed in the country,” he says.
Although he participated in the September 7 celebrations in Rio de Janeiro, where President Jair Bolsonaro (PL) turned civic acts into an electoral rally, the admiral minimized the risk of political exploitation of the Portuguese Navy’s image. “We position ourselves in the long-term perspective, of something that unites the Portuguese and Brazilian people”, he says. “This is much more important than any event related to four or eight years of electoral or political periods.”
Gouveia e Melo stated that democratic values are inseparable from the Armed Forces. “It is unthinkable for us Portuguese soldiers not to defend democracy.” Days before leaving for Rio at the invitation of the Brazilian Navy, he spoke with the Sheet in Lisbon.
Don’t you fear that the presence of the Portuguese Navy in the events of September 7, with Jair Bolsonaro’s campaign acts, is the object of political instrumentalization? We have to look at this from a historical perspective: they are the celebrations of the 200th anniversary of the Independence of Brazil. Then there is a short-term perspective that I will not comment on, because it only has to do with Brazilian domestic politics.
We position ourselves in the long-term perspective of something that unites the Portuguese people and the Brazilian people. The Brazilian Navy is as much a descendant of Vasco da Gama’s Navy as we are. This is much more important than any event related to four or eight years of electoral or political periods.
Mr. Do you believe that the Armed Forces have a role in defending democracy? The Armed Forces are essential for democracy. We left a dictatorial regime in 1974. Today it is unthinkable for us Portuguese soldiers not to defend democracy. Never again, it seems to me, that a dictatorial regime can be installed in Portugal with the support of the military.
Europe is experiencing a moment of great tension with the War in Ukraine, in which NATO is indirectly involved —Portugal is part of the alliance. Is the Portuguese Navy prepared for a conflict? If it is necessary to participate in collective defense and then in our individual defense, we are prepared. We train, we are funded. Our whole structure has to do with the fact that we don’t want to make any kind of offensive, but that we belong to a defensive pact, which is NATO, which defends Western civilization and Western liberalism.
Portugal has a Defense Minister for the first time. Mr. Do you think that there may be some resistance to female leadership, considering that there are only 13% of women in the Armed Forces? Defense is not about being a man or a woman, but being a person qualified to defend the country in a broader perspective — even more political than military. We are pleased that the Ministry of Defense is led by a woman. It means that the gender problems, little by little, are being overcome.
What is the role of the Navy in the future of the country? Portugal is essentially sea, through which the most important maritime routes of Western and Western Europe pass. If we don’t play a relevant role, someone else will do it for us, because there are no gaps in geopolitics. We Portuguese have lost the ability to use our geography for our own benefit. Therefore, I see the Navy as an instrument to develop this geostrategic role in favor of the Portuguese.
Before commanding the Navy, Mr. was responsible for the vaccination task force in Portugal. When he left office, 98% of the eligible population was already vaccinated, while other European countries suffered from hesitation. what was the secret? It was a combination of factors. One of the main ones was that vaccination was considered a public good in our culture and therefore there was no resistance. Anti-vaccination campaigns were not successful.
Then we managed to organize a quick process, which attracted the Portuguese instead of driving them away. The population was very tired of being confined, the economy was suffering a lot. I don’t like to individualize, but I think the big factor was trust in the process and organization. And a very large set of health professionals.
Due to his role on the task force, Mr. overnight he went from submariner to celebrity. Do you feel an additional weight with that? Today any statement I make is viewed from many angles. Every day I find myself faced with this dilemma of having to explain anything, being very careful that words are not used in contexts that have nothing to do with what I wanted to say.
x-ray | Henrique Eduardo de Gouveia e Melo, 61
Born in Quelimane, Mozambique, he is Chief of Staff of the Portuguese Navy. He spent most of his career as a submariner, held various command posts in the Navy and was commander of the Covid-19 Vaccination Task Force between February and September 2021.
With a wealth of experience honed over 4+ years in journalism, I bring a seasoned voice to the world of news. Currently, I work as a freelance writer and editor, always seeking new opportunities to tell compelling stories in the field of world news.
