The popular mayor of Aljezur, José Amarelinho, has stepped down after his various appeals against a court decision had been exhausted.'This Decision is based on personal and family matters, as well as on circumstances known to the public in general, considering that this is the right and proper decision, irrespective of any steps taken or to be taken,' read a council statement.
José Amarelinho said that "he will return publicly to the matter," but offered, "a strong and heartfelt embrace of friendship and gratitude for all, but in particular for the Aljezurans and the workers of the local authority, friendship and trust.”
Amarelinho will be replaced by the current vice president, José Gonçalves.
The mayor’s last appeal against his sentence, for riding roughshod over planning regulations at the Vale da Telha development, was considered at the Constitutional Court which rejected his assertions on February 22nd.
The original court case goes back five years when the court in Lagos condemned Amarelinho to lose of mandate, three years and two months in prison unless he paid a €5,000 fine to the League for the Protection of Nature.
The then mayor, Manuel Marreiros, was convicted in the same case and received a four year three month sentence unless he paid Almargem €5,000.
Both politicians went to the Court of Appeal in Évora, where they failed to have their convictions overturned and so went to the Constitutional Court where their appeals were dismissed.
Amarelino's departure is a blow to the various local and national anti-oil exploration movements. His outspoken defence of Aljezur's coastline, against potential spillage from a proposed test well off the Vicentina coast, has been inspirational and a source of deep annoyance to the Socialist Party government whose barely concealed pro-oil agenda has been opposed by Aljezur residents and tens of thousands of like-minded supporters.
José Amarelinho, anti-oil campaigner and former mayor of Aljezur
