Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa stated that he cut ties with his son, following the case of the Brazilian twins. O Correio Braziliense the news advanced, with statements from the President of the Republic: “It is unforgivable, because he knows that I have a public and political position, and I pay for it.” It is unprecedented for a Head of State to comment on private life, say political experts, but it is part of the current President’s “style”.
The relationship with Nuno Rebelo de Sousa had not been good for a few months and the twins’ case only made it worse. The President of the Republic spent Christmas Eve at home, away from some grandchildren. In statements to foreign journalists, quoted by Correio Braziliense, he will have devalued the break in the relationship with his son. “He is 51 years old, if he were my oldest and favorite grandson, at 20 years old, I would feel co-responsible. But, at 51 years old, he is older and vaccinated,” he said.
Marcelo told journalists that, when his son came to him to help speed up the Brazilian twins’ process of taking the drug Zolgensma, he was close to a heart operation. He left the case aside, especially because the Civil House had already said that it would not be possible to interfere. But some time later he was contacted by Nuno Rebelo de Sousa, who told him that the Civil House was against the President of the Republic. The years passed — this episode happened in 2019 — and he no longer remembered this case, he claims.
The case became public in November, shortly after António Costa’s dismissal. Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa recalled, with laughter, that they comforted each other at that time. It was a “boring” period, but the worst part was the break in the family.
At the beginning of April, the General Inspectorate of Health Activities (IGAS) concluded that “the legality requirements were not met in the two children’s access to neuropediatric consultation”. At the basis of the controversy are suspicions of favoritism that came from a email sent by Nuno Rebelo de Sousa to his father, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa.
Talking about personal issues is the “style” of the President of the Republic
“Problems of Presidents of the Republic or Prime Ministers with family members are common”, guarantees political scientist António Costa Pinto, but not in Portugal. The last time in memory of this happening with resonance in Portugal was when, in 2011, it was proven that Oliveira Costa sold shares in Sociedade Lusa de Negócios to the then President of the Republic, Cavaco Silva, and his daughter at a loss.
But commenting on private life is a practice that political science specialist Adelino Maltez links to the “histrionic” style of the current President of the Republic. “Eanes, Sampaio, Soares… None of them needed this mental model”, he adds, but Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa “as a public figure, that’s how it is” and “those who voted for him already knew, there are no surprises”.
Costa Pinto justifies these statements with “the fact that the President of the Republic was disturbed by a practice that is common in Portuguese society, access to public services”. This case is “very exceptional, it had to stand out”. Adelino Maltez emphasizes that Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa is a very experienced politician and knows that he must have impeccable conduct. “In this aspect he always fulfilled it, but suddenly he had a conflict of interests with his son”: at that moment there are “those who are sad” and “those who don’t mind talking” – Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa fits into the second group.
In other countries the practice is common, from Brazil to the United States, including the English monarchy. In most cases, these issues are related to the children’s professional lives and their relationship with their parents’ political lives.
Joe Biden’s son has been in the news several times for tax evasion and possession of an illegal weapon, which has led the President to be under the watchful eye of public opinion. In the case of Brazil, Bolsonaro’s children are already involved in several controversies: Flavio Bolsonaro was suspected of money laundering in 2019, and in 2020 accused of having unduly received part of the salaries of employees in his office when he was a state deputy in Rio. of January.