On March 1971, speaking with several Portuguese –American travels agents I learned that the Consul Manuel de Carvalho was not signing Portuguese passports issued by his consulate, in Providence, Rhode Island, because of a court case decided against him in Ribeira Grande, St. Michael, Azores and he was appealing to the Court of Appeals in Lisbon, Portugal.

I confirmed this news by speaking with one American Immigration officer in Providence. I decided then to send a cassette tape to Mr. Silva Junior, in Ponta Delgada, Azores, who was a good friend of mine and a journalist for the "Diário dos Açores" (Azorean Daily), inquiring the truth of this news item, which he confirmed to me, to be true.

And the articles begun to appear on the American Press describing this scandal:

July 1^st, 1971 – "Warren Gazette" newspaper (owned by Phoenix-Times) published an article entitled "Hearing in Ribeira Grande, Portuguese Consul appeals fine". This article was based on the information that João Silva Junior, as a reporter sent to this American newspaper.

July 6, 1971 – I obtained a copy of the sentence against the Consul Carvalho. Silva Junior had sent it to the newspaper.

July 8, 1971 --- "Warren Gazette" –Another article : ‘Portuguese Consul in R. I. Fined $3300’.

July 8, 1971 – My first article on the magazine "Chama" from New Bedford, Mass.
The title of my article was: ‘Scandalous the case of the Portuguese Consul in Providence.’ I wrote this article after I had all the documentation that the consul had been found guilty in the Court in Ribeira Grande.

July 10, 1971-- "Providence Journal" published the following article: ‘De Carvalho fined, but still consul’.

July 15, 1971 – My second article on magazine "Chama": ‘Portuguese Consul in Providence found guilty’.

July 16, 1971 – "Fall River Herald News" – front page story – ‘Lawyer Appeals Azorean Court Fine for Helping Emigrants.’

July 29, 1971 ‘’ Article by Manuel de Carvalho on Magazine "Chama" – front page
" Exclusive:  Dr. Manuel de Carvalho explains about his sentence in Ribeira Grande".

October 1971 Consular Review published in Washington by the International Academy of Consular Corps " Portuguese Consul Fined".

November 7, 1971. I received from Lisbon , Portugal, information about the case number, the names of the judges of Court of appeals that will consider the Carvalho’s appeal. To be decided on the second or third week in January 1972.

January 19, 1972. I received a telegram from Lisbon, Portugal informing that Carvalho had lost the his Appeal, and has to pay the fine of $3300. I gave this news over radio station WADK, in Newport, during the program "The Voice of the Azores, directed by Louis Raposo.

January 22, 1972. My third article in the magazine "Chama" – "Consul Engajador in Providence, R. I. The Supreme Court in Portugal finds Consul Guilty."

I then wrote letters to Senator Pell, the President of Portugal and the Portuguese Minister of Foreign Affairs to dismiss Consul Carvalho from the Portuguese Consulate in Providence.

In October 1970, Carvalho was fined in Ribeira Grande, St. Michael, Azores, together with Tomaz from Ribeira Grande. The fine of $3300 was imposed by the Portuguese International Police because Carvalho was found guilt in the local Court of engaging (exploiting) the Portuguese emigrants to U. S. A.

As Portuguese Consul he should help them, not exploit them! He stopped signing passports and other documents. His secretary Maria Pinheiro was the one that signed all the official documents. Consul Carvalho did not signg any documents in 1971, 1972, 1973, and 1974, while all his Court trials were going on.

Then, on March 8, 1974, before the Revolution of April 25, 1974, the Official Record of the Portuguese Government (Diário do Governo) created a Full Time Consulate in Providence, terminating the Honorary one. Finally the Portuguese Government responded to all my requests!

On February 1975, a new Carrier Consul José Villela an a new Vice-Consul Rogério Medina, full time, came to Providence, Rhode Island.

The Portuguese Law that prohibits engagements of emigrants 
Article No. 25 of the Law Decree No. 36.558 of October 28, 1947

Article 25. "It is forbidden the intervention of any individuals or companies in the engagement (exploitation) of Portuguese emigrants, in the process of obtaining the necessary documents for their reservations or acquisition of their tickets for their trips."