Maria do Céu Antunes

Maria do Céu Antunes
Antunes in 2023
Minister of Agriculture and Food
In office
26 October 2019 – 2 April 2024
Prime MinisterAntónio Costa
Preceded byLuís Capoulas Santos
Succeeded byJosé Manuel Fernandes
Secretary of State for Regional Development
In office
18 February 2019 – 26 October 2019
Prime MinisterAntónio Costa
Preceded byPosition established
Succeeded byCarlos Miguel
Mayor of Abrantes
In office
11 October 2009 – 17 February 2019
Preceded byNelson de Carvalho
Succeeded byManuel Jorge Valamatos
Personal details
Born
Maria do Céu de Oliveira Antunes

(1970-07-10) July 10, 1970 (age 54)
Abrantes, Portugal
Political partySocialist Party
Children2
Alma materUniversity of Coimbra

Maria do Céu de Oliveira Antunes (born 10 July 1970), previously known as Maria do Céu Albuquerque,[1] is a Portuguese politician who served as the Minister of Agriculture from 2019 to 2024.[2]

She has a degree in biochemistry from the Faculty of Sciences and Technologies of the University of Coimbra and has a postgraduate degree in Quality Management and Food Safety from the Instituto Superior de Ciências da Saúde Egas Moniz. In January 2022, she was elected to the Assembly of the Republic on the list of the victorious Socialist Party (PS), as a representative of Santarém, and was reappointed as Minister of Agriculture and Food.[3][4]

Before that, she had been Secretary of State for Regional Development in the XXI Constitutional Government of February 18 to October 26, 2019, and President of the Municipality of Abrantes for 9 years.[4]

Controversies

Jorge Ferreira Dias case

During her 9-year term as Mayor of Abrantes, Maria do Céu Albuquerque got involved in controversies with construction entrepreneur Jorge Ferreira Dias, over land disputes.[5] This case became more visible through the reporting of Ana Leal on TVI.[6]

Personal life

Antunes was married and has 2 daughters. During her marriage she adopted her husband's surname, Albuquerque. After divorcing in 2020, she returned to using her maiden name.[7][1]

References

  1. ^ a b "Ministra da Agricultura adota nome de solteira". www.vidas.pt (in European Portuguese). Retrieved September 1, 2024.
  2. ^ "Maria do Céu Antunes - Ministra da Agricultura - Agricultura - XXII Governo - República Portuguesa". Portugal.gov.pt. Retrieved December 24, 2021.
  3. ^ "Legislativas: Os 117 deputados eleitos pelo PS". PS. Retrieved February 2, 2022.
  4. ^ a b "Maria do Céu Antunes, de presidente da Câmara a ministra da Agricultura". SIC Noticias. Retrieved March 25, 2022.
  5. ^ Paula Mourato. "Abrantes | Nasceu pobre, construiu empreendimentos, ganhou milhões e perdeu tudo: a história de Jorge Ferreira Dias | Médio Tejo". Mediotejo.net. Retrieved December 24, 2021.
  6. ^ ""Ana Leal": disputa de terreno com autarquia deixa milionário na miséria". TVI24. May 30, 2019. Retrieved December 24, 2021.
  7. ^ Publicada por tomarnarede. "Tomar na Rede: Presidente da câmara de Abrantes nomeada Secretária de Estado do Desenvolvimento Regional". Tomarnarede.blogspot.com. Retrieved December 24, 2021.