This Wednesday, PSD and CDS-PP blamed previous PS governments for the current issues in the prison system. In response, the socialists accused the right of viewing prisons as warehouses for people who are not interesting, while raising concerns about the conditions of inmates.

This exchange of accusations occurred in parliament during a government interrogation initiated by Chega on The State of Prison Establishments.

Minister Of Justice Addresses Criticism After Inmate Escape

The session, attended by Minister of Justice Rita Alarcão Júdice, was scheduled following the escape of five inmates from Vale de Judeus Prison in Alcoentre, Lisbon, on September 7.

At the start of the debate, Minister Rita Alarcão Júdice addressed criticism from Chega’s parliamentary leader, Pedro Pinto, who accused her of being publicly absent during the inmate escape.

She responded firmly, saying:

The minister did not disappear, the minister does not disappear, she was attentive to following the issues from the very beginning.

Rita Júdice clarified that she had been in the north of the country attending a wedding at the time of the incident. She explained that she had just returned on the day of the escape and was only vaguely aware of the situation.

Furthermore, she had to request the ministry’s security team to pick her up. Júdice added:

I don’t need to be in the spotlight but I certainly need to help.

PSD And CDS-PP MPs Criticize PS Governments

During the debate, Social Democrat MP Paula Margarido emphasized that the issue demands the utmost seriousness and intellectual honesty, which is not compatible with politicking.

She stressed the urgency of conducting a historical review and held several PS governments accountable for the current failings in the prison system.

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The MP referenced a 2017 report, prepared during the tenure of Francisca Van Dunem as Minister of Justice in António Costa’s first government.

The report outlined a diagnosis of the prison system’s situation and proposed measures for the next decade. She expressed concerns about living conditions in prisons and the careers of prison guards and said:

Once again this plan was forgotten and shelved by the PS.

MP João Almeida from the CDS-PP, part of the government coalition with the PSD, echoed similar criticisms of the socialists. He remarked:

For seven years, the PS, which had a report it had requested, did nothing.

Criticism From The President of Chega

The president of Chega, André Ventura, added to the criticism by directly blaming former PS Prime Minister António Costa. He questioned:

Former Prime Minister António Costa should take on this particular responsibility: after all, who deactivated the prison system’s watchtowers? Who reduced the number of guards to a historic low in this country? After all, who did not give the prison guard the legal characteristics that would allow it to act as another criminal police body?

However, the PS deputy Cláudia Santos countered by arguing that one of the issues with Chega’s agenda is its narrow focus, stating it suggests that the only problem with the prison system is security.

PS Counters Criticism With Focus on Resocialization

In response, the socialist accused saying:

It is clear that in any prison, security is fundamental, but it is only one of the two pillars of the prison system; the other is resocialization, which implies the humanity of the system. But the right wing does not want to know about this investment. For the right wing, prisons are deposits for people who are not of interest and who must be kept as far away as possible from the eyes of law-abiding citizens.

Broader Issues in the Prison System

PS MP Isabel Moreira emphasized that numerous international reports have highlighted issues within the Portuguese prison system, particularly concerning inmate conditions, such as overcrowding and lengthy sentences.

The socialist leader argued that incarceration is not always the best solution and can often be the worst. He argued:

One thing is certain: the issue of prison security is a broad issue and cannot be solved by rebuilding surveillance towers or electrifying barbed wire. Anyone who thinks this way is thinking about the aftermath of an escape and not about the serenity of reason, facts, and what the problems of our prison system actually are.

Calls for Investment in Prison Guard Careers

Pedro Pinto called for greater investment in the careers of prison guards and claimed that more inmates aren’t escaping from Portuguese prisons simply because they don’t want to.

IL parliamentary leader Mariana Leitão criticized governments over the past decade for being aware of the prison system’s issues yet allowing them to persist. Communist MP António Filipe echoed this, stating that

Each government announces a diagnosis, makes the diagnosis, identifies necessary measures, but then fails to act on them.

BE coordinator Mariana Mortágua emphasized that security conditions in prisons are directly linked to the working conditions of prison guards and the lack of investment.

She also highlighted the sub-human conditions faced by the prison population. Similar concerns were raised by Free MP Paulo Muacho, who pointed out that the diagnosis has long been completed.