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Henrique Gouveia e Melo

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In this Portuguese name, the first or maternal family name is Passaláqua and the second or paternal family name is Gouveia e Melo.
Admiral
Henrique Gouveia e Melo
GCA ComA
Chief of the Naval Staff
Assumed office
27 December 2021
Appointed byMarcelo Rebelo de Sousa
Preceded byAntónio Mendes Calado
Coordinator of the
COVID-19 Vaccination Plan Task Force
In office
3 February 2021 – 28 September 2021
Appointed by
Preceded byFrancisco Ramos
Succeeded byOffice abolished
Commander of the European Maritime Force
In office
19 September 2017 – 19 September 2019
Preceded byDonato Marzano
Succeeded byJean-Philippe Rolland
Personal details
Born
Henrique Eduardo Passaláqua de Gouveia e Melo

(1960-11-21) 21 November 1960 (age 63)
Quelimane, Portuguese Mozambique
Alma materNaval School
Military service
Allegiance Portugal
Branch/service Portuguese Navy
RankAdmiral

Admiral Henrique Eduardo Passaláqua de Gouveia e Melo GCA ComA (born 21 November 1960) is a Portuguese Navy officer, currently serving as the Chief of the Naval Staff, since December 2021.

Previously, while he was serving as Adjutant for Planning and Coordination of the Armed Forces General Staff, Gouveia e Melo rose to national prominence after being appointed coordinator of the Task Force for the successful national COVID-19 vaccination plan,[1][2] that saw Portugal having the highest vaccination rates in the world. Gouveia e Melo had previously served as a Commander of the Portuguese Fleet (Comandante Naval) from 2017 to 2020 and, from 2017 to 2019, as Commander of the European Maritime Force (EUROMARFOR).[1][3]

Due to his prominent role during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic in Portugal, Gouveia e Melo was included in Jornal de Negócios's list of 50 Most Powerful People of 2021,[4] which included both Portuguese and international personalities. His popularity has made Gouveia e Melo be tipped by the media as a potential future presidential candidate.[5]

Early life and career[edit]

Henrique Gouveia e Melo was born in 1960 in Quelimane, Mozambique, which at the time was the Overseas Province of Mozambique, a territory under Portuguese rule. He was the son of Manuel Henriques Gomes de Frias de Melo e Gouveia, of a family of aristocratic roots in the Beira Interior region, and his wife Maria Helena Pereira Passaláqua, of Italian descent.

He spent his youth between Quelimane and São Paulo in Brazil and, finally, Lisbon, where he went at age 18 to enrol at the Naval School as a cadet in 1979. Each Naval School class is referred to by the name of an historical figure assigned to it as a patron; that year's was First World War hero Carvalho Araújo. In September 1984, at age 23, he finished his studies and was promoted to the rank of midshipman.[1][3]

At age 24, in September 1985, he volunteered in the Submarine Escadrille (Esquadrilha de Submarinos) and sailed in the Albacora-class submarines NRP Albacora, NRP Barracuda, and NRP Delfim in several operational roles as a garrison officer and, later, in command positions as a Chief Officer aboard the NRP Albacora and the NRP Barracuda. During his long service in the Submarine Escadrille, which only ended in 2002, he also commanded the submarines NRP Delfim and NRP Barracuda, led the escadrille's Training and Assessment Service (Serviço de Treino e Avaliação) and the Staff of the National Submarine Operating Authority (Estado-Maior da Autoridade Nacional para o Controlo de Operações de Submarinos; SUBOPAUTH).[1][3]

Gouveia e Melo as the Commander of NRP Vasco da Gama

After three years as a Navy Spokesman and having played a decisive role in the project for the acquisition of the new Tridente-class submarines, he commanded, from 2006 to 2008, the NRP Vasco da Gama (F330) frigate. He then returned to his activities as a submariner as the commander of the Submarine Escadrille, overseeing the necessary changes to adapt the military unit to the new submarines, namely, the sea trials and the commissioning of NRP Tridente (S160). Before his promotion to general officer ranks, he served as the Second Commander of the Naval Fleet, Director of Lighthouses, and Director of the Sea Rescue Institute (Instituto de Socorros a Náufragos).[1][3]

He was promoted to Rear Admiral in April 2014, after which he was appointed Chief of Staff to the Chief of the Naval Staff, until 2016, and then briefly served as the Second Commander of the Naval Fleet, leading it in an interim capacity. He was promoted to Vice-Admiral in January 2017, after which he served as Commander of the Portuguese Fleet. At this time, he additionally served as Commander of the European Maritime Force (EUROMARFOR) until September 2019. From January 2020, he was named Adjutant for Planning and Coordination of the Armed Forces General Staff.[1][3]

COVID-19 pandemic[edit]

A meeting of the COVID-19 Vaccination Plan Task Force in 2021

Gouveia e Melo took on a high-profile role during the COVID-19 pandemic, following his appointment as Coordinator of the COVID-19 Vaccination Plan Task Force, the unit set up by the Portuguese government to assure the strategic planning and logistics for the national mass immunization campaign. Gouveia e Melo was appointed to head the task force on 3 February 2021, following the resignation of the first coordinator, former Secretary of State for Health Francisco Ramos, over a "queue jumping" scandal, in which people not belonging to priority groups allegedly were receiving their vaccines before their turn.[1][6]

After being relatively spared during the first surge of the pandemic due to an internationally-praised timely and effective response, Portugal was at the time under a second national lockdown as it was being particularly severely hit by a second wave: the country had the highest seven-day average of new coronavirus cases per 100,000 inhabitants in the world, and the record numbers of new cases and hospital admissions threatened to overwhelm the struggling National Health Service.[7]

Gouveia e Melo began to wear only his green combat uniform in public as well and used not only "the language of war" but military language in public outreach attempts. By October 2021, 98% of the eligible population and 86% of the total population was vaccinated against Covid-19. [8]

On 4 October 2021, shortly after the Vaccination Task Force disbanded, Gouveia e Melo was awarded the Golden Globe for Merit and Excellence in a ceremony in Coliseu dos Recreios. As he was presented with the award by Francisco Pinto Balsemão, former Prime Minister and Chairman of Grupo Impresa, he received a standing ovation, and on his speech thanked every Portuguese that had contributed to the success of the vaccination effort and voiced his intention of leaving the trophy at the Ministry of Health.[9]

Chief of the Naval Staff[edit]

Gouveia e Melo was appointed Chief of the Naval Staff and promoted to the rank of Admiral, on 27 December 2021.[10][11]

The appointment was not without controversy. His predecessor as Chief of the Naval Staff, Admiral António Mendes Calado, had been in office since 2018 and had in February 2021 been reappointed for a second term of no more than two years. Just as the COVID-19 Vaccination Task Force disbanded in September, the Minister of National Defence, João Gomes Cravinho, prematurely announced that the Government had petitioned the President of the Republic to dismiss Mendes Calado and to replace him with Gouveia e Melo.[12] Earlier that year, Mendes Calado had openly criticised and shown reservations over the Government's proposal to make significant changes to the National Defence Law (Lei de Defesa Nacional) and the Organic Basic Law of the Organisation of the Armed Forces (Lei Orgânica de Bases da Organização das Forças Armadas, LOBOFA) in parliamentary hearings, with the Admiral's dismissal being considered by some as retaliation; former Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Fernando Melo Gomes called it a "political purge" (saneamento) that was reminiscent of the PREC.[12] The President, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, called the minister's announcement premature and a mistake, and did not dismiss Mendes Calado at the time.[13] In December, the President announced that as the new National Defence laws with which Mendes Calado disagreed were about to be promulgated, the "new political cycle" made it now "the right moment" to replace the Chief of the Naval Staff.[14] Mendes Calado publicly announced he was leaving his office "not of his own accord".[14]

Gouveia e Melo was sworn in by the president on 27 December, in a short ceremony at Belém Palace, without any speeches, and with the noted absence of his predecessor, Admiral Mendes Calado.[15][16] Just before the ceremony, he was awarded a Gold Military Medal for Distinguished Services by Admiral António da Silva Ribeiro, Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces.[16]

Distinctions[edit]

National orders[edit]

National military decorations[edit]

Other distinctions[edit]

Notes[edit]

  1. ^ Portuguese: Medalha de Mérito Militar – Awarded to members of the military of the following ranks: General officer, colonel or sea captain
  2. ^ Portuguese: Medalha de Mérito Militar – Awarded to members of the military of the following ranks: Lieutenant colonel, captain of frigate, major or captain-lieutenant
  3. ^ Portuguese: Medalha de Mérito Militar – Awarded to members of the military of the following ranks: Captain, first lieutenant, other officers of lower rank and sergeant-major

References[edit]

  1. ^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g Carmo, Cátia (3 February 2021). "Quem é Henrique Gouveia e Melo, o novo coordenador do plano de vacinação?" [Who is Henrique Gouveia e Melo, the new coordinator of the vaccination plan?] (in Portuguese). TSF. Retrieved 16 August 2021.
  2. ^ Harvey, Lex (7 October 2021). "What can Canada learn from the most vaccinated country in the world? We asked the man behind Portugal's". The Toronto Star. ISSN 0319-0781. Retrieved 7 October 2021.
  3. ^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g h i j k l m n "ESTADO-MAIOR GENERAL DAS FORÇAS ARMADAS - Adjunto para o Planeamento e Coordenação VICE-ALMIRANTE Henrique Gouveia e Melo" (PDF) (in Portuguese). Armed Forces General Staff. Retrieved 16 August 2021.
  4. ^ "Os Mais Poderosos de 2021" [The Most Powerful of 2021]. Jornal de Negócios (in Portuguese). Retrieved 16 August 2021.
  5. ^ Borges, Liliana (16 December 2021). "Candidatura de Gouveia e Melo a Belém? "Não se deve dizer que dessa água não beberei"" [Gouveia e Melo running for Belém? "Never say never"]. Público (in Portuguese). Retrieved 29 December 2021.
  6. ^ Wise, Peter (3 February 2021). "Portugal's Covid vaccination chief quits over selection irregularities". Financial Times. Retrieved 2 October 2021.
  7. ^ Wise, Peter (20 February 2021). "Portugal suffers surging Covid-19 deaths after mastering first wave". Financial Times. Retrieved 4 October 2021.
  8. ^ Santora, Marc; Minder, Raphael (1 October 2021). "In Portugal, There Is Virtually No One Left to Vaccinate". The New York Times. Retrieved 7 October 2021.
  9. ^ "Gouveia e Melo despe a farda para receber Globo de Ouro que vai dar ao Ministério da Saúde como "recordação de batalha"" [Gouveia e Melo out of his military fatigues to receive a Golden Globe which he will leave at the Ministry of Health, as a "battle memento"]. Observador (in Portuguese). Retrieved 5 October 2021.
  10. ^ "Decreto do Presidente da República n.º 117-A/2021 - Diário da República n.º 249/2021, 1º Suplemento, Série I de 2021-12-27". Diário da República Eletrónico. Retrieved 29 December 2021.
  11. ^ "Numa cerimónia rápida e sem declarações, Gouveia e Melo tomou posse como CEMA" [In a short ceremony, with no statements, Gouveia e Melo was sworn-in as Chief of the Naval Staff]. Diário de Notícias (in Portuguese). 27 December 2021. Retrieved 29 December 2021.
  12. ^ Jump up to: a b Marcelino, Valentina (28 September 2021). "Chefe do Estado-Maior da Armada sai. Gouveia e Melo o provável sucessor" [Chief of the Naval Staff dismissed; Gouveia e Melo is the likely successor]. Diário de Notícias (in Portuguese). Retrieved 29 December 2021.
  13. ^ "Saída do chefe do Estado-Maior da Armada não será agora. 'Palavra final é do Presidente da República'" [Dismissal of the Chief of the Naval Staff will not happen now; 'The President of the Republic has the final word']. Diário de Notícias (in Portuguese). 28 September 2021. Retrieved 29 December 2021.
  14. ^ Jump up to: a b "Marcelo diz que este é 'o momento' para substituir o CEMA" [Marcelo says it's 'the right moment' to replace the Chief of the Naval Staff]. Rádio e Televisão de Portugal (in Portuguese). 24 December 2021. Retrieved 29 December 2021.
  15. ^ Costa, Ana Correia; Santos, Enzo (27 December 2021). "Gouveia e Melo tomou posse em cerimónia curta a que faltou o antecessor" [Gouveia e Melo sworn-in in a short ceremony, missed by his predecessor]. Jornal de Notícias (in Portuguese). Retrieved 29 December 2021.
  16. ^ Jump up to: a b c "Almirante Gouveia e Melo já tomou posse como chefe da Armada. Mendes Calado, o antecessor, faltou à cerimónia" [Admiral Gouveia e Melo has already been sworn-in as Chief of the Naval Staff. Mendes Calado, his predecessor, was absent from the ceremony]. Observador (in Portuguese). 27 December 2021. Retrieved 29 December 2021.
  17. ^ "Presidente da República condecora vice-almirante Gouveia e Melo pela sua carreira militar" [The President of the Republic decorates Vice-Admiral Gouveia e Melo for his military career]. Público (in Portuguese). 19 August 2021. Retrieved 20 August 2021.
  18. ^ "Cidadãos Nacionais Agraciados com Ordens Portuguesas". Página Oficial das Ordens Honoríficas Portuguesas. Retrieved 16 August 2021.
  19. ^ "Professor Germano de Sousa e Vice-Almirante Gouveia e Melo recebem título de Doutor Honoris Causa pela NOVA" [Professor German de Sousa and Vice-Admiral Gouveia e Melo receive the title of Doctor Honoris Causa from NOVA]. NOVA University Lisbon (in Portuguese). Retrieved 29 December 2021.
  20. ^ "Politécnico da Guarda distingue Gouveia e Melo como Especialista 'Honoris Causa'" [Guarda Polytechnic distinguishes Gouveia e Melo as a Specialist Honoris Causa]. Diário de Notícias (in Portuguese). 30 September 2021. Retrieved 29 December 2021.
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