Five dangerous criminals escape Portuguese prison // New dedicated AIMA centre opens in Lisbon
Portuguese news in English on Tuesday, September 10, 2024.
Five dangerous criminals escape Portuguese prison
Five prisoners are on the run after escaping from a high-security prison north of Lisbon, Público reports. A laundry list of failures have emerged, from understaffing to infrastructure issues such as dismantled security towers and inoperable movement sensors. Despite a history of attempted prison breaks, the five men — who are considered dangerous, including one described as one of the most wanted men in Argentina — were kept together in the same part of the one prison. Authorities said the men escaped about 10am on Saturday and weren’t discovered missing until lunchtime when a ladder was found lent against one of the prison walls. Officials said three non-prisoners helped the escape, two by placing the ladder and one by waiting in a getaway car.
Police resources were boosted at airports and roads to try to keep the men in the country but it was decided shutting the borders would be too extreme. The prison guard union said the prison, Vale de Judeus prison, in Alcoentre just south of Rio Maior, told SIC Notícias the facility was one of the country’s most secure until four watchtowers were demolished in 2017 due to a lack of officers to staff them. It was impossible for one guard to watch 200 video cameras, union president Frederico Morais said, adding that the prisoners didn’t even flee immediately upon scaling the wall because “they knew they had time”.
Who are the escaped prisoners?
The escapees are Argentinian Rodolfo José Lohrmann, Georgian Shergili Farjiani, British Mark Cameron Roscaleer and Fernando Ribeiro Ferreira and Fábio Fernandes Santos Loureiro, both from Portugal, Público reports. Lohrmann and his accomplice, José Maidana, had been wanted in Argentina for more than 10 years for the kidnapping of Cristian Schaerer, the son of a former health minister — who still hasn’t been found — when they were captured in Aveiro in 2017. After fleeing to Europe they had surgery, used false names and spoke in code. Schaerer’s mother, who, along with the rest of her family, had been hoping for Lorhmann’s extradition to Argentina, said he was her only hope for finding out what happened to her son. “I can’t stop crying,” she said. Lorhmann’s transfer to Vale de Judeus from a higher-security prison was authorised in March as it was thought his risk of fleeing had faded.
New dedicated AIMA centre opens in Lisbon
A new service centre dedicated to resolving Portugal’s immigration backlog has opened in Lisbon, Público reports. The centre is open from 8am-10pm, exclusively by prior appointment, and staffed by dozens of Agency for Integration, Migration and Asylum staff working in two shifts. On Monday, its first day of operation, about 200 people had appointments and everything appeared to run smoothly, the newspaper reported. The agency is working through about 115,000 people who had cases pending with the old Immigration and Borders Service (SEF) before April last year. Next it will email people with cases pending since June 3 this year, at which the total is expected to bump up to 300,000. There were about 400,000 processes pending but not all were expected to respond.
More information about the AIMA Mission Structure Service Centre operating out of the Hindu Temple in Lisbon and changes to the agency’s other outposts in the city is available, in English (below the Portuguese), directly from AIMA.
In brief
Lisbon’s earthquake risk plan hasn’t been updated for 15 years, expert says. He said the recent earthquake felt in much of the country highlighted the need for authorities to urgently re-examine the document. (Público)
Left demands government response over Portugal-flagged ship carrying explosives it believes were destined for Israel. The BE leader spoke after issuing a request for prosecutors to make sure Portugal was not accused of “complicity in a genocide”. (Diário de Notícias)
Measures to help kids buy homes boost demand and prices. The increase, sparked by tax breaks and loan help, has not been accompanied by a rise in supply, putting further pressure on prices. (Público)
Porto’s Francisco Sá Carneiro airport completely shuts for day. No planes will land or take off this Tuesday amid runway rehabilitation efforts. Works have been carried out between midnight and 6am and this is believed to be the only full-day closure in the 19-month project.
Private consortium's 2015 purchase of TAP from government was financed with Airbus loan guaranteed by TAP. The General Inspectorate for Finance (IGF) has sent a report to prosecutors to look at a possible criminal investigation. (Público)
On a lighter note
If you think Lisbon’s trams are old and cute (and of course loud and rickety), then wait until you see what’s going on later this month. The Carris Classics Parade on September 21 will dig a whole bunch of old trains and buses out of storage to parade from Alcântara to Alges. There’ll be one of the first trams the company ever built and trains themed on cork and tapestry. Tickets to actually ride the vehicles are €10 for adults but if you just want to see them go past I have to assume you can just stand along the road. You can’t get more information directly from Museu Carris here.
Bonus lighter note: Unfortunately I didn’t see that the superbly ridiculous Red Bull Flugtag was coming to Lisbon this past weekend until after I sent my last newsletter. But here are some very brief highlights.