Ex-Police Chief Becomes Interior Minister, Defends Role During PM Inquiry

Portugal's new Interior Minister, Luís Neves, has moved decisively to address questions about potential conflicts of interest stemming from his previous role as head of the Polícia Judiciária (PJ), which assisted investigations that touched upon Prime Minister Luís Montenegro. Speaking minutes after his swearing-in ceremony at Palácio de Belém in Lisbon, Neves emphasized that the national director of the PJ "does not investigate anyone" and described his former position as primarily administrative.

The Core Question:Neves's appointment triggers immediate scrutiny given that the Polícia Judiciária operated under his leadership while supporting prosecutorial inquiries into the Prime Minister's family business, Spinumviva. Between March and December 2025, the Public Prosecutor's Office, with PJ assistance, conducted a preventive inquiry into three anonymous complaints alleging improper receipt of advantages, corruption, embezzlement, and economic participation in business by Montenegro. The case was ultimately closed in December without criminal charges.

When pressed by journalists about whether this history gave him reservations about joining the government, Neves replied with an unequivocal "no." He framed his acceptance as natural, citing his awareness of "the compartmentalization of the position I now assume." His core argument: the director's mandate centers on organizing the institution and provisioning resources, not conducting field investigations or accessing granular case intelligence.

How Information Compartmentalization Works:The "estanquização" system Neves referenced is a cornerstone of the PJ's operational model, designed to safeguard the autonomy of criminal investigations. Under this structure, access to sensitive investigative data is restricted strictly to personnel with a functional need-to-know. The national director does not automatically receive briefings on every active case, a deliberate firewall intended to insulate leadership from undue pressure and conflicts of interest.

Neves maintained he remained "completely calm" about his integrity because the institutional architecture kept him removed from investigative specifics. For Portugal's legal framework, this separation is crucial. The PJ operates under the Justice Ministry's purview and assists judicial authorities, but its organizational independence relies on internal barriers that prevent information from flowing freely upward.

What Changes:This marks the first ministerial change to the XXV Constitutional Government, 9 months after the PSD/CDS-PP coalition took office on June 5, 2024. Neves replaces Maria Lúcia Amaral, who resigned following criticism of the government's response to Storm Kristin. He brings 8 years of experience as PJ director (2018–2026) and a background in criminal investigation.

Alongside Neves, the government reappointed State Secretaries Paulo Simões Ribeiro (Deputy and Internal Administration), Telmo Correia (Internal Administration), and Rui Rocha (Civil Protection), ensuring continuity in the security apparatus responsible for the Portugal Royal Police (PSP), Republican National Guard (GNR), and Civil Protection services.

The Conflict-of-Interest Defense:The core tension remains: Can a former PJ director who presided over an institution supporting inquiries into the Prime Minister credibly serve in that same Prime Minister's cabinet? Neves's defense rests on two pillars. First, the structural argument: directors don't investigate. Second, the procedural safeguard: compartmentalization ensures ignorance of case details.

The Montenegro investigations concluded with no evidence of criminal conduct or irregularities, according to statements from both the European Public Prosecutor's Office and Portugal's national prosecutors. That closure provides Neves political cover, transforming a potential vulnerability into a demonstration of institutional impartiality: the PJ assisted an inquiry into the man who would become his political superior, and the system cleared him.

Neves accepted the post "with great enthusiasm" and felt no reservations about the appointment.