O CV de Machete merece manchetes

Sim, Rui Machete chegou a ser vice-primeiro-ministro durante um ano ou isso há quase trinta anos. Mas convém acrescentar que teve responsabilidades no BPN e no BPP. Os tais bancos que nos atiraram «para o buraco». Além disso, há o delicioso telegrama de 2008 da embaixada dos EUA, que recorto em baixo (agradeço à wikileaks a divulgação). Machete saiu da FLAD em 2010, depois ser «Presidente do Conselho Executivo» durante os primeiros 22 anos da Fundação.

• «(...) The USG subsequently contributed some $111 million to FLAD, but during the past two decades the Embassy's efforts to exercise responsible oversight over FLAD's financial management have been thwarted by the foundation's leadership, creating deep and continuous friction between FLAD and the Embassy. We propose to wage another campaign to change FLAD's direction, but failing that, we must consider whether our continued participation in this institution is in the USG's interest. (...) The tension came to a head in 1992 when the Embassy directly approached Prime Minister Cavaco Silva seeking clarification of reports that FLAD Director Rui Machete had offered FLAD business to companies in which he had a stake. Machete admitted no wrongdoing but did terminate one key contract. (...) Machete has long been critical of the U.S. and has resisted embassy participation at every turn. He is wired into both major political parties and is suspected of disbursing FLAD grants to curry political favor and maintain his sinecure. Machete has historically opposed all efforts at independent oversight, professional accounting practices, and transparent review of FLAD's programs. Since the early 1990s, nearly every U.S. ambassador has urged Machete to carry out his fiduciary duties or step aside, but to no avail (...) FLAD continues to spend 46% of its budget on overhead for its luxurious art-adorned offices, bloated staff, fleet of chauffeured BMWs, and on "personnel and administrative costs" that has included at times wardrobe allowances, low-interest loans to staff, and honoraria for staffers participating in FLAD's own programs (...) FLAD's portfolio in November 2007 was 122 million euro. By November 2008 this had shrunk to 106 million euro. At this pace, FLAD could burn through the entire endowment by about 2014. (...)»