I had the grateful like to find José da Silva Lopes at various times in my life, the last of which the Council of Prevention of Corruption, which played a decisive role in the affirmation and consolidation of this institution that much was due to his intelligence and common sense. It was an example of honesty and rigor. So understood to be the biggest issue preventing corruption in the consolidation of democracy.
I’m seeing it, for so many years down the Causeway Combro walk, as ordinary people who always wanted to be. Simple, with a great sense of humor, careful, pessimistic, determined, hard worker, never willing to ease up, even in the most harsh and uncertain tempest – hey it equal to itself. The Portuguese economic history of the twentieth century records its fundamental presence in all the decisive moments of the last half century (read its key The Portuguese economy since 1960 , Gradiva). In brief speaking, we can not forget that he began working on international trade issues and European integration in the Economic Coordination Committee, having been at the forefront of negotiations EFTA and GATT, under the guidance of José Gonçalo Correia de Oliveira, decisive economy minister at the end of the isolation of Portugal. For political determination of the minister and thanks to the role played by Ambassador Teixeira Guerra, Portugal could be invited (against what would be a natural tendency) to participate in the creation of free trade association that had the UK as gravity axis. This moment was crucial to the end of autarky and to encourage Portuguese industrialization -. in particular thanks to the famous Annex G, which granted a longer period of protection to our industry
We can not understand the recent Portuguese history without the testimony and the life of Silva Lopes and without recognizing their role. It started as the technical right arm (as always made a point of saying) of Correia de Oliveira, the ministry and even when he was in the AIP, since not only knew well the dossiers of economic integration, but also had an acute political awareness the importance of economic openness to the foundations of the democratic transition. After 1968, he was director of the Ministry of Economic Studies Department and then administrator of the CGD – having had an essential role in the negotiation of preferential trade agreement (since the political conditions did not allow more) with the European Communities, in Because the United Kingdom’s accession. Your boldness of spirit led him to demarcate their technical attitude of political choice. It was essential to their role in planing the paths to democracy. In other instances SEATS and said what he thought, this caused you inconvenience, but the personal prestige was imposed. The April 25, 1974 catches him in Paris to negotiate economic agreements with Teixeira War, returning with enthusiasm, Portugal, rented a taxi in Madrid. Quickly will be called the first line of action as Secretary of State for Finance, the Government of Carlos Palma, with real functions Minister of Finance. Their experience and their independence weigh that choice of Vasco Vieira de Almeida. In II Provisional Government, as will the appointment of Minister of Finance, next to Emilio Rui Vilar, Minister of Economy. The timing is difficult, the revolution has as its backdrop a time of global turmoil: suffer the effects of the oil shock of 1973 still the gold reserves are preserved, but foreign exchange reserves vanish up. After all, monetary policy is moderately restrictive, before inflationary threats, the deficit of the current account, the reduction of remittances and the worsening of the budget deficit, induced by supporting fixed prices supported by the Supply Fund. The price freeze and the uncontrolled increase of wages has, however, devastating lasting effects – the minister criticizes, without being heard. The fire of the revolutionary period, Silva Lopes tries, without much success, minimize the consequences of radicalism and economic ignorance. Following the March 11, does not advocate the nationalization of banking, but is taken not to oppose, limiting the effects of it (as the foreign banks and Montepio). Soon realizes, however, that its scope is minimal. Resigns as Finance folder, since radicalism controls the political decision in a distant logic of economic rationality. There remains briefly with the folder External Trade, at the insistence of Vasco Gonçalves, without any political weight, which leads him to leave the Government as soon as the PS breaks with the commitment that the executive is based. With Pinheiro de Azevedo, Salgado Zenha invites you to Governor of the Bank of Portugal. So, thanks to international action Mário Soares, with Germany and the United States, with a guarantee of gold reserves, can negotiate considerable support to avoid bankruptcy and to anticipate the IMF successful programs – designed in moderation and realism …
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