Margarida Blasco | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Official portrait, 2024 | |
| Minister of Internal Administration | |
| In office 2 April 2024 – 5 June 2025 | |
| Prime Minister | Luís Montenegro |
| Preceded by | José Luís Carneiro |
| Succeeded by | Maria Lúcia Amaral |
| Member of theSupreme Court of Justice | |
| In office 8 May 2019 – 30 August 2021 | |
| President | António Piçarra Henrique Araújo |
| Inspector General ofInternal Administration | |
| In office 9 February 2012 – 4 May 2019 | |
| Minister | Miguel Macedo Anabela Miranda Rodrigues João Calvão da Silva Constança Urbano de Sousa Eduardo Cabrita |
| Preceded by | Mário Varges Gomes |
| Succeeded by | Anabela Cabral Ferreira |
| Director-General of theSecurity Information Service | |
| In office 2004–2005 | |
| Prime Minister | José Manuel Barroso Pedro Santana Lopes |
| Preceded by | Domingos Jerónimo |
| Succeeded by | Júlio Pereira |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1956-07-25)25 July 1956 (age 69) |
| Political party | Independent |
| Alma mater | University of Lisbon |
| Occupation | judge • politician |
Maria Margarida Blasco Martins Augusto (born 25 July 1956) is a Portuguese judge and politician. She wasMinister of Internal Administration from 2024 until 2025, in theXXIV Constitutional Government, led byLuís Montenegro.[1][2]
Before her ministerial appointment, Blasco served as General Director of theSecurity Information Service from 2004 to 2005 and was Inspector General of theInternal Administration from 2012 to 2019. Between 2019 and 2021, she was a member of theSupreme Court of Justice, retiring in 2021.
Blasco was born on 25 July 1956 inCastelo Branco.[3] In 1978, she graduated from the Faculty of Law at theUniversity of Lisbon.[3]
Between 1987 and 1991 she was chief of staff of theAssistant Secretary of State to theMinister of Justice.[4] She was then, from 1991 to 1993, general coordinator of cooperation with Portuguese-speaking countries at the Ministry of Justice.[3] After leaving this position, she became Vice-President of the Institute for Portuguese Cooperation between 1994 and 1996.[3]
She was general director of theSecurity Information Service, being the first woman to hold the office from 2004 to 2005, and was Inspector General ofInternal Administration (IGAI) between 2012 and 2019.[5] At SIS, she initiated cases related topolice abuse, especially withPolícia de Segurança Pública agents, which ended with questioning about excessive violence and racism by security forces.[6]
Between 2019 and 2021 she was a member of theSupreme Court of Justice, having retired in 2021.[6] When she was a judge, she dealt with cases involving the1980 Camarate plane crash,Dona Branca, andFernando Negrão.[6]