Portugal defence minister quits amid probe of theft cover-up

LISBON:Portuguese Defence Minister Jose Azeredo Lopes resigned on Friday amid an investigation into a suspected army cover-up of a weapons theft last year, a ministry spokesman said.

Prime Minister Antonio Costa accepted the resignation after having firmly defended his minister during a parliament debate on Wednesday where he said he had his trust and should remain in office. Azeredo Lopes denied any wrongdoing.

Opposition leaders had repeatedly called for his ouster. Local media reported earlier this month that one of the suspects had told investigators that the minister was aware of of an alleged staged operation to recover the weapons last October, which Azeredo Lopes categorically denied on various occasions, including in his resignation letter. The minister said that he was stepping down to protect the armed forces from a political attack against him. He previously called the suspected involvement of the military in the cover-up “an embarrassment”.