After all, Licínio Luís, the navy chaplain who criticized Gouveia e Melo on social media for his role in the case of the death of Public Security Police (PSP) agent Fábio Guerra at the hands of marines, will even leave the navy… and go to the Army.
The person in charge will be replaced by the current chaplain of the Army Pupils, Father Diamantino Teixeira.
An official source from the Navy explained to DN that these rotations are normal and decided by the Bishop of the Armed Forces in agreement with the chiefs.
In March, after Licínio Luís criticized the Armada Chief of Staff (CEMA), the chaplain was exonerated but reinstated shortly thereafter, after receiving a pardon from Gouveia e Melo.
However, the chaplain did not return to the marines, having been placed on duty at the Alfeite base.
In a Facebook post that has since been deleted, Licínio Luís asked the admiral to wait for justice and not “judge without knowing”. “The youths were having fun and were provoked. One of them is a national boxing champion, in his rank, he was struck with false faith and reacted,” he wrote.
“Who wouldn’t. That’s why he’s savage? Mr. Almirante never went to the night? Never had a few drinks? Judgment with our judgments. Let’s wait for the investigations. Our young people have the right to be respected. same scope and alcoholic as well disposed as ours. Judgment with our judgments”, added Licínio Luís.
The chaplain will have met with Gouveia e Melo and apologized. On Facebook, too, he came to redeem himself from words. “As a soldier, I was wrong to address the Admiral CEMA in an incorrect, inappropriate, interpretive and public manner, which I respect for his example of courage, service and dedication to the Navy”.
“I reread his speech (…) and I can see that he defended the human decency that should encourage us all. (…) As your chaplain, he wants to apologize for not having defended the Christian position well, that no aggression should serve as a response to any third act, much less violence that may have contributed to the death of a PSP agent, which I deeply regret,” he wrote.
The week before, Admiral Gouveia e Melo had made a tough speech to the Marine Corps of the Navy, on the day of the funeral of PSP agent Fábio Guerra, stressing that he does not want “thugs” in the Navy, nor military “without values”.
“The events of last Saturday have already stained our uniforms, regardless of what will be found. The savage, disproportionate and unreasonable attack cannot have excuses and justifications in our values, as it violates our oath to defend our homeland. Fábio Guerra was our homeland, the PSP and the Security Forces are our homeland and in it all our citizens”, he underlined at the time.
