Portuguese authorities have named Azores Regional Secretary for Tourism and Infrastructure, Berta Cabral, as a formal suspect following a sweeping anti-corruption operation targeting alleged irregularities in public contracts tied to the low-cost airline Ryanair.

In a statement, Portugal’s Judicial Police (Polícia Judiciária), through its National Anti-Corruption Unit, said it carried out 14 search warrants across the islands of São Miguel, Terceira, and Faial, as well as in Lisbon. The searches covered private homes, public agencies, business associations, and law offices as part of an ongoing investigation into suspected crimes including subsidy fraud, malfeasance, economic participation in business dealings, and abuse of power.

At the center of the probe are allegations that a public entity improperly favored Ryanair through potentially незаконный (illegal) financing tied to contracts awarded under the Azores 2030 Operational Program.

Investigators confirmed that key evidence was seized during the operation and that five individuals have been formally designated as suspects. Authorities said the investigation will now proceed with an in-depth analysis of the materials collected, with the goal of determining criminal responsibility and concluding the case swiftly.

The operation involved 65 Judicial Police officers, supported by two investigative judges, five public prosecutors, representatives from the Bar Association, and technical advisors to the Public Prosecutor’s Office.

Cabral’s office was among the locations searched, and she has been formally named a suspect in the case. Business organizations were also targeted, including the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Ponta Delgada and the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Angra do Heroísmo. The latter’s president, Marcos Couto, was reportedly questioned by investigators.

In a statement, the Ponta Delgada Chamber of Commerce confirmed that officials from the Public Prosecutor’s Department visited its headquarters but said the organization fully cooperated and provided all requested documentation. It emphasized that it does not engage in tourism promotion or related contracting and has no involvement in the matters under investigation.

The case focuses in part on agreements between the Azores government—through the tourism promotion agency Visit Azores—and Ryanair. In March of last year, the regional government signed a contract worth nearly €1.9 million, plus VAT, aimed at having the airline promote the Azores in key European markets, including the United Kingdom, Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg.

Such agreements had been used in previous years to offset operational challenges cited by Ryanair, including high airport fees, fuel costs, and regulatory pressures such as the European Union’s emissions trading system. The contracts were also seen as essential to maintaining air connectivity between the Azores and major European hubs.

A 2023 government statement had underscored the strategic importance of retaining Ryanair routes, highlighting ongoing negotiations involving the Azores government, Tourism of Portugal, and ANA Airports. The airline’s operations included domestic routes between Lisbon, Porto, Ponta Delgada, and Terceira, as well as international connections to London Stansted and Nuremberg.

At its peak, Ryanair’s Azores operation accounted for more than 2,000 annual flights, with expanded summer schedules and reduced winter frequencies aligned with seasonal demand.

However, despite prolonged negotiations, Ryanair is set to cease operations in the Azores at the end of March after failing to reach a new agreement with the regional government.

The investigation is being led by the Regional Department of Investigation and Prosecution (DIAP) in Lisbon.

Nélia Câmara is a journalist for Correio dos Açores, Natalino Viveiros, director.

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