A Spanish subsidiary of Pemex, Mexico’s largest company, has given former Deputy Prime Minister, Paulo Portas, a directorship.
Portas has joined Mex Gas Enterprises, based in Madrid, which is involved in the marketing of natural gas worldwide.
The appointment was made in July, a month after It was conformed that Portas had joined Portugal's Mota-Engil on €5,000 a month amid accusations of taking full advantage of the ‘revolving door’ between those leaving politics and sliding with ease into well paid jobs in the corporate sector.
Portas was Portugal’s foreign minister (2011-2013) and then deputy prime minister (2013-2015) under PM Pedro Passos Coelho and it is his international address book that attracts the business sector.
In March 2016, Portas ended nine years at the top of the CDS-PP after the failed attempt by the Portuguese right wing to form a government after the parliamentary elections in October 2015 which gave power to a left wing alliance headed by António Costa of the Socialist Party.
In June 2016, Paulo Portas resigned from politics after more than 20 years and within days had joined construction company Mota-Engil to concentrate on its Latin American operations as chairman of the company’s international council.
His involvement in the controversial 'Ferrostaal submarine affair' left the Portuguse public deeply suspicious that Portas too had been bribed, along with other State and military officials, in a corruption case that was proved in Germany, but mysteriously was dropped in Portugal.
See also: 'Paulo Portas to head up Mota-Engil’s International Council'