Upload
elsa-cristina-david
View
228
Download
0
Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
7/27/2019 Profile of Cavaco Silva
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/profile-of-cavaco-silva 1/2
PROFILE OF CAVACO SILVA'S CLOSE COLLABORATORS PROVIDED
Lisbon TEMPO in Portuguese 12 Feb 87 p 15
[Article by Joao Rosa]
rExcerotsl The disclosure in our last issue that a secret meeting was held recentlybetweenEurico de Melo and Adriano Moreiraalong with our revelations and analysis for the strategic
prospects for PSD in the medium term, was the dominant topic in the media and in talks
among politicians beginning last Thursday morning
Whith a view to early elections, the PSD foresees the need for a policy of understands with the
centrists that will provide it with a parliamentary majority in the future approach by Cavaco
Silva has not been fully accepted within the party. But several informants in the partytell us
that the top leaders with whom he has informally surrounded himself are probably capable
enought to get it accepted throughout the Social Democratic struture withou encountering any
major obstacles.
In fact we also disclosed last week that an oversimplified but basically realistic analysis of the
philosophy of internal policy being pursued as part of Cavaco SUva's leadership of the PSD and
the government reveals that functioning with him as an advisory council of "notables» is a
small elite group an "advance guard" in which he has special personal confidence. It is the
leader's genuine private "committee," and behind the scenes in the party and government it
as already been nicknamed the “group of Five” or the” Magnificent Five." Its members meet
with the chiefevery Wednesday to analyze the political situation jointly and thoughtfully.
According to reliable informants, its members are Eurico de Melo , Fernando Nogueira,
Santana Lopes, Durão Barroso and Dias Loureiro ( the order in which they are listed is not
intended to indicate any hierachy beyond the obviously well known fact that Eurico de Melohas more maturity) but except for the northern patriarch (who is only 61) and it should be
remembered that Cavaco silva himself its only 47 the most revealing feature of all the others is
the fact they are extremely young for the job: two of them are only 30 (Santana Lopes and
Durao Barroso), one is 35 (Dias Loureiro), and the last is 36 (Fernando Nogueira). But all of
them have enviable academic and political credentials and possess intellectual and
temperamental qualities that are certainly suited to their high responsibilities, judging from
the special confidence placed in them by Cavaco Silva.
The only one who is not and has never been a member of the government is Dias Loureiro, the
party's powerful secretary general. Incidentally, it was immediately after the PSD's latest
congress—where we saw the appointment of so many deputy chairmen (six)—that we wrote
concerning him that he was in fact—as events have shown that he is continuing to be—the
real number two man in the Social Democratic hierarchy at the party level.
As far as special academic and biographic background is concerned, attention should be drawn
to Eurico de Melo's career in business, Fernando Nogueira's special inclination for regional
matters, Santana Lopes' militant support for Sa Carneiro's doctrine, Durao Barroso's political
science studies abroad, and Dias Loureiro's practice of law.
As far as other special features are concerned, specifically as regards the image each has
conveyed to us in the course of our personal contacts with them and statements made about
them by the people who claim to know them best, we can sum them up as follows:
7/27/2019 Profile of Cavaco Silva
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/profile-of-cavaco-silva 2/2
Eurico de Melo: Shrewd, determined, cautious, ambitious, much given to reflection although
not a cerebral type, and very courteous and refined. A manorial baron well equipped for city
life.
Fernando Nogueira: Introverted, excellent at planning, a conciliator, astute, hardworking and
ambitious, good at detail, and organized. A man of sturdy stock from Beira who has graftedwell into Lisbon life.
Santana Lopes: Headstrong, enthusiastic, bold and determined, dauntless, and one of those
most capable of diving right in. An idealist full of faith in whatever he believes in, beginning
with himself.
Durao Barroso: A born cerebral type, speculative, observant and provident, studious, and a
cultivator of self-control and the structuralist spirit. A pragmatist being forcibly converted to
the idea of improvisation.
Dias Loureiro: A Latin and a native of Beira with all the generosity, vitality, instinctiveness, and
skill at his job that one expects from such a person, he has a talent for leadership andorganization. A fighter on behalf of all necessary and sufficient causes.
It is probably superfluous to say that all of those "Magnificent Five" are frequently the targets
of envy and speculation On the part of some of their fellow party members who are most
jealous of their special status, just as it is no doubt natural that some of them should not
always succeed in remaining rigorously indifferent to those negative stimuli.
And which of those five—especially the four youngest—is the one who may become the heir
apparent and receive official approval as such in the future?
11798 CSO: 3542/67
2