Portuguese Merdagate
By Manuel Luciano da Silva, Medical Doctor

  (9)  Periods in which  DeCarvalho  was 
Portuguese Consul in Providence, Rhode Island. 

 Manuel  DeCarvalho became Consul Honorary, or Fourth Class,  of Portugal in 1950 until 1963. In 1963 he resigned  because he was planning go to Brazil  on Alliance for Progress, but Kennedy was assassinated and  that plan fell thru.  

In 1966 DeCarvalho was reappointed honorary consul by the Portuguese Government. He signed passports during the above dates. 

In October 1970,  DeCarvalho 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 DeCarvalho 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 singing  passports and other documents. His secretary Maria Pinheiro was the one that signed  all the official documents. 

Consul DeCarvalho did not sign 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.” 

 I BECAME VERY FAMILIAR WITH THIS LAW BECAUSE I WAS WORKING AT THE PORTUGUESE NEW YORK CONSULATE WHEN THE LAW WAS PUBLISHED. 

My experience of working inside the Portuguese General Consulate in New York City, BEFORE Manuel DeCarvalho came to U. S. A. !

 I became familiar with this  Law when I was a secretary (1947-1948) ,  in the Portuguese General Consulate in New York City at 600  Fifth Ave, Rockefeller Center. Here is my Certificate  of  Portuguese Nationality  at the same Consulate,   dated of August 28, 1947.  I worked at this consulate until September 1948, when I became a full  time student at New York University, Washington Square College, and four years later I graduated in Biology.