Portuguese Minister of Internal Administration Luís Neves is facing scrutiny after requesting and regularly driving a seized Volkswagen Golf GTD criminal evidence vehicle. Neves defended the practice, stating it provides crucial operational readiness and saves state funds, while critics note the vehicle is used during weekends without public agenda.
The Seized Volkswagen Golf GTD and Daily Use
The vehicle at the center of the debate is a Volkswagen Golf GTD seized in a drug trafficking criminal case, which Neves requested from the interim national direction of the Judiciary Police after taking office as minister. Neves already utilized the vehicle when he served as national director of the Judiciary Police, where staff members observed him driving the Golf himself when he wanted.
Surveillance and reporting revealed that the minister parks the car outside his home alongside two personal vehicles. On multiple dates in August, journalists observed Neves taking the keys of the seized car directly from drivers or security personnel and operating the vehicle without a chauffeur or security detail present.
Operational Justification and Cost Savings
Responding to inquiries regarding his vehicle choices, Neves defended the arrangement as a service vehicle under a bailment agreement, duly authorized under legal terms. The minister argued that driving the car personally ensures greater availability, functionality, and operational response capacity, in a position that requires frequent travel, unpredictable schedules, and readiness under any circumstance.
It is rare for a weekend to go by when I do not work. Luís Neves, Minister of Internal Administration
Neves explained that having autonomous transport allows for faster and autonomous travel in emergency situations, which are permanent in this governmental area. He pointed out that cases have already occurred, notably in Civil Protection and at the airport, which required the convocation of urgent meetings. Without the vehicle, handling emergencies from home would require calling drivers and security guards, with greater delay and additional costs for the public treasury.
Security Concerns and Precedents Under Scrutiny
The arrangement has drawn scrutiny regarding security and protocol. A source from the SIS noted that the minister is evaluated with a significant threat level. Investigative reporting also found no other ministers or secretaries of state utilizing state or seized vehicles during weekends without official public agendas.
When journalists attempted to verify whether past ministers engaged in similar practices, former Internal Administration ministers Margarida Blasco and Maria Lúcia Amaral were contacted without success. However, two anonymous sources close to the former officials clarified that such a situation never occurred with any previous office holders, who relied on official vehicles driven by female drivers from the Republican National Guard (GNR) and Public Security Police (PSP).
Clarifying Personal Assets and Fleet Disclosures
The controversy follows a July 29 press conference where Neves detailed his personal assets, mentioning that he owned a 15-year-old family car, a Ford Focus. Reporting subsequently revealed that the Ford Focus is registered in the name of the minister’s wife, Ana Lúcia Campos, alongside a Nissan Qashqai registered under her name since May 2020.
Addressing the disclosure, Neves clarified that his reference to a family car identified the vehicle usually used by the household and was not intended to constitute an enumeration of automotive assets. He added that there was no omission or intention to conceal information, especially since the reduced value of these assets exempts their inclusion in income declarations, noting that one of the vehicles had been in the possession of his recently deceased father-in-law.
