Pedro Nuno Santos

Disclosure of the payment to Alexandra Reis triggered a crisis. After initially saying he did not remember being informed, Santos reconstructed the chronology, acknowledged having given his political approval and resigned.

State of the evidence

payment, approval, resignation and investigations documented

Legal status — source text

Santos resigned for political reasons; in 2025, RTP reported that he was not personally under investigation in Operação Cheque In

Attribution

ministerial responsibility for political approval; possible offences by third parties not attributed to him

Following articles about properties in Lisbon and Montemor-o-Novo, the DCIAP traced the origin of funds using banking and property documentation.

State of the evidence

opening, interview and closure of inquiry documented

Legal status — source text

DCIAP closed the case on 18 June 2025, finding no indication of a criminal offence

Attribution

Santos was subject to the review; favourable outcome

Under Santos, the state regained control of TAP during the pandemic and undertook a restructuring potentially involving approximately 3.2 billion euros, triggering a lasting controversy over the public cost.

State of the evidence

takeover, restructuring and amounts documented

Legal status — source text

measures approved within the European state aid framework; no personal criminal proceedings

Attribution

direct political responsibility as minister responsible for TAP

Santos's ministry published a solution for the future airport system without prior coordination with Costa, who immediately revoked the ministerial order (despacho) and described the incident as a serious error.

State of the evidence

ministerial order, revocation and apologies documented

Legal status — source text

no judicial proceedings

Attribution

personal political responsibility for the lack of coordination

A company majority-owned by his father, in which Santos held approximately 1%, entered into a public contract worth around 19,000 euros; media reports also identified more than one million euros in contracts since 2008.

State of the evidence

shareholdings and contract documented

Legal status — source text

no incompatibility definitively established; Santos cited a PGR opinion supporting the absence of a legal impediment in the circumstances examined

Attribution

personal responsibility as minority shareholder and minister; company actions not automatically attributed to him

During the Groundforce crisis, Santos accused shareholder Alfredo Casimiro of obstructing solutions to pay employees. TAP subsequently applied for insolvency proceedings, strongly contested by Casimiro.

State of the evidence

shareholder dispute, unpaid wages, insolvency application and complaint documented

Legal status — source text

no personal criminal conviction of Santos; investigation into disclosure of the conversation concerned the person he spoke with

Attribution

political responsibility for the state/TAP strategy; acts of the private partner distinguished