By Alyssa McMurtry
OVIEDO, Spain (AA) - Police officers were deployed Tuesday morning across Portugal to search 42 separate locations including the prime minister’s office, businesses and national ministries, the attorney general's office confirmed.
Prime Minister Antonio Costa’s chief of staff Vítor Escaria and close consultant Diogo Lacerda Machado, along with two business executives and a lawyer have also been detained.
The attorney general’s statement said the raids are tied to an investigation into potential malfeasance, corruption and influence peddling related to lithium, hydrogen and data center concessions.
Police conducted raids on homes, lawyers’ offices, businesses, the Sines city hall as well as national institutions such as the prime minister’s office, and the environment and infrastructure ministries.
In what could be a brewing political crisis, Prime Minister Costa canceled his agenda and met President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa.
Members of the opposition are already calling for Costa to step down.
Rui Rocha, leader of the right-wing Liberal Initiative party, asked the president to dissolve the parliament because “we cannot have a prime minister in office with his inner circle embroiled in such a serious investigation.”
“Corruption is spreading and destroying the foundations of the country. Antonio Costa is not in a position to continue governing!” said leader of the far-right Chega party Andre Ventura.
Members of Portugal’s left also expressed concern. “Justice must be swift, fast, and fair, no matter who it hurts,” said Pedro Filipe Soares from the Left Bloc, noting “there is still a lot we must know.”
Sources at the Environment Ministry and prime minister’s office confirmed the raids in a statement to Lusa news agency, but refused to comment any further.