Portugal/Military

Portugal/Military
Headquarters	Lisbon, Portugal
Staff	27,741

Military takeover of jab task force

A COVID-19 Vaccination Plan Task Force was set up by the Portuguese government on 23 November 2020 by joint order (despacho) of the Minister of National Defence, João Gomes Cravinho, the Minister of Internal Administration, Eduardo Cabrita, and the Minister of Health, Marta Temido.

It was initially led by Francisco Ramos, former Secretary of State for Health, until his resignation on 2 February 2021, over a "queue jumping" scandal - an obvious pretext to give power to the military - in which people not belonging to priority groups allegedly received their jabs before their turn. Ramos was replaced the following day by vice-admiral Henrique de Gouveia e Melo, a naval officer who was already part of the task force.

Gouveia e Melo began to wear only his green combat uniform in public as well and used "the language of war" and military language in the propaganda campaign. By October 2021, when the task force disbanded, 98% of the eligible population and 86% of the total population was jabbed.

Gouveia e Melo was appointed Chief of the Naval Staff and promoted to the rank of Admiral, on 27 December 2021. Earlier that year, the former Chief, Admiral António Mendes Calado, had openly criticised and shown reservations over the Government's proposal to make significant changes to the National Defence Law (Lei de Defesa Nacional) and the Organic Basic Law of the Organisation of the Armed Forces (Lei Orgânica de Bases da Organização das Forças Armadas, LOBOFA) in parliamentary hearings, with the Admiral's dismissal being considered by some as retaliation; former Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Fernando Melo Gomes called it a "political purge".

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