Former Portuguese Prime Minister José Sócrates Faces Court in Long-Delayed Corruption Trial

More than a decade after his dramatic arrest shook the foundations of Portuguese politics, former Prime Minister José Sócrates returned to court on Thursday as the long-delayed trial over sweeping corruption allegations officially began.

Sócrates, 67, appeared before the Central Criminal Court of Lisbon to answer to charges that were initially dismissed but later reinstated, prompting fresh legal and political scrutiny. The former Socialist leader, who governed Portugal from 2005 to 2011, continues to deny any wrongdoing.

Before entering the courthouse, Sócrates expressed frustration over what he described as a politically motivated and procedurally flawed prosecution. “Four years later, the state forces me to come to court again to respond to exactly the same charges,” he told reporters. He criticized the court for allegedly exploiting a clerical error to revive the case and manipulating deadlines under the statute of limitations.

The defense team had requested that the trial be suspended and the presiding judge removed, but the court rejected both motions, allowing the proceedings to go ahead.

The case, known as Operação Marquês (Operation Marquis), is the largest and most complex corruption investigation in Portugal’s history. Sócrates was first arrested in November 2014 at Lisbon Airport in connection with the investigation — marking the first time a former Portuguese head of government had been taken into custody. He spent several months in prison before being transferred to house arrest.

Initially, in 2021, Judge Ivo Rosa had dismissed most of the key accusations, citing weak or inconsistent evidence and ruling that several charges were already time-barred. The charges of corruption and tax fraud were dropped at that time, and Sócrates was left to face lesser allegations — including money laundering amounting to approximately €1.7 million and falsifying documents.

However, following legal appeals and procedural reviews, the prosecution has brought back a revised indictment. Sócrates now faces 22 criminal charges in total, including passive corruption while in office, money laundering of nearly €34 million (allegedly funneled through offshore bank accounts), and tax fraud. The case also involves high-profile figures from Portugal’s corporate world, including former executives of the now-defunct Banco Espírito Santo and Portugal Telecom — both of whom have also denied the allegations.

The charges relate to actions allegedly committed between 2006 and 2015, a period that included Sócrates’ time in office. The prosecution claims that the former prime minister used his influence to benefit certain businesses and received illicit financial rewards in return.

Sócrates resigned in 2011 amid a deepening sovereign debt crisis that forced Portugal to seek a €78 billion international bailout. His resignation halfway through his second term ushered in years of austerity and economic hardship for the country.

The trial is expected to be lengthy, reflecting the complexity of the case and the breadth of the accusations. It has reignited debates in Portugal over political accountability and the pace of the country’s judicial system — which has often been criticized for inefficiency and delays in prosecuting high-level corruption cases.

While Sócrates maintains that he is the victim of a political vendetta, the outcome of this case could have far-reaching implications for the public’s trust in Portuguese institutions and the country’s ongoing fight against corruption.