Mesquita Machado

Francisco Soares Mesquita Machado,[1] commonly known as simply Mesquita Machado is a Portuguese former politician. A member of the Socialist Party, he was the mayor of Braga from the first democratic elections in 1976 until 2013. He was also a member of the Assembly of the Republic from the first elections in 1976 until 1991.[1]

Mesquita Machado at a Roman festival in 2011

Early life

Mesquita Machado was born in Pousada de Saramagos, a small village near Vila Nova de Famalicão in Braga District. At age five he migrated to Venezuela with his parents, and at 13 he returned to attend school in Braga while living with a great aunt.[2] He is a qualified Metallurgical Engineer.[3]

Political career

Mesquita Machado joined the Socialist Party in 1975 and was elected to the Assembly of the Republic in the following year's election, the first free elections since the Carnation Revolution. He served in the cabinet of prime minister Mário Soares.[3]

In the local elections of December 1976, 29-year-old Mesquita Machado was voted mayor of Braga, again in the first such democratic elections.[4] He was still in power in October 2009, when he won the majority of votes against his PSD rival Ricardo Rio.[5]

Having won ten consecutive local elections, Mesquita Machado was unable to contest the September 2013 elections due to a new term-limit law barring candidates from exceeding three consecutive terms as mayor.[6] His party lost control of Braga City Hall to Rio's right-wing coalition.[7]

In October 2017, Mesquita Machado and five members of his former local government were put on trial for allegedly attempting to expropriate properties to benefit his daughter and son-in-law; the proposed deal was cancelled by the new local government.[8] He was convicted and given a suspended sentence of three years in July 2018, confirmed on appeal a year later.[9] In October 2020, the conviction was upheld by the Constitutional Court.[10]

In February 2020, Mesquita Machado was acquitted of accusations of favouritism in the allocation of contracts to build parking spaces in Braga.[11]

References
  1. "Biografia" (in Portuguese). Assembly of the Republic. Retrieved 30 January 2021.
  2. Passos, Nuno (8 February 2010). "Elite dominante em Braga é oriunda de Famalicão" [Braga's dominant elite hails from Famalicão]. Jornal de Notícias (in Portuguese). Retrieved 30 January 2021.
  3. Pinheiro, Susana (17 September 2005). "Quase 30 anos de vitórias" [Nearly 30 years of victories]. Diário de Notícias (in Portuguese). Retrieved 30 January 2021.
  4. Antunes Pereira, Pedro (13 December 2006). "Primeira vitória de Mesquita foi há 30 anos" [Mesquita's first victory was nearly 30 years ago]. Jornal de Notícias (in Portuguese). Retrieved 30 January 2021.
  5. "Mesquita Machado reeleito em Braga com maioria absoluta" [Mesquita Machado re-elected in Braga with absolute majority]. Público (in Portuguese). 11 October 2009. Retrieved 30 January 2021.
  6. "Defensores da fusão de freguesias são "realmente loucos", diz Mesquita Machado" [Defenders of parish mergers are "truly crazy", says Mesquita Machado]. Jornal de Notícias (in Portuguese). 29 September 2013. Retrieved 30 January 2021.
  7. "Ricardo Rio acaba com 37 anos de governação socialista em Braga" [Ricardo Rio finishes off 37 years of socialist government in Braga]. Jornal de Notícias (in Portuguese). 30 September 2013. Retrieved 30 January 2021.
  8. "Ex-autarca Mesquita Machado começa a ser julgado por abuso de poder" [Former mayor Mesquita Machado begins trial for abuse of power]. Observador (in Portuguese). 30 October 2017. Retrieved 30 January 2021.
  9. "Relação confirma três anos de prisão com pena suspensa para Mesquita Machado" [Court of Appeal confirms three years suspended sentence for Mesquita Machado]. Diário de Notícias (in Portuguese). 16 July 2019. Retrieved 30 January 2021.
  10. "Tribunal Constitucional confirma pena suspensa de três anos para Mesquita Machado" [Constitutional Court upholds suspended sentence of three years for Mesquita Machado]. O Minho (in Portuguese). 13 October 2020. Retrieved 30 January 2021.
  11. "Mesquita Machado e António Salvador absolvidos em acusação de favorecimento" [Mesquita Machado and António Salvador acquitted on accusation of favouritism]. Jornal de Notícias (in Portuguese). 6 February 2020. Retrieved 30 January 2021.
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