A Portuguese far-right lawmaker, Miguel Arruda, has been accused of stealing luggage at several airports, leading to his expulsion from his political party, Chega. According to various news outlets, Arruda was questioned by police on January 21 at Lisbon Airport, where he was allegedly charged with theft after some of the stolen suitcases were reportedly discovered at his residence.
Arruda, 40, denied the allegations and maintained his innocence, stating, “I am being crucified in the public square, but until proven otherwise, I am innocent,” during an interview with broadcaster TVI on January 23. Despite the charges, Arruda decided to continue serving in the assembly as an independent lawmaker and requested that his parliamentary immunity be lifted.
Members of his former party, Chega, expressed their disapproval by booing Arruda during a parliamentary session on January 24. Assembly President Jose Pedro Aguiar-Branco instructed Arruda to sit with unaffiliated lawmakers at the back of the chamber.
According to local media reports, police obtained surveillance footage showing Arruda removing luggage from the baggage carousel and placing it into his own bag. However, Arruda has questioned the authenticity of the footage, suggesting it could have been manipulated using artificial intelligence.
Prosecutors confirmed that the investigation is ongoing, though they stated that the charges are unrelated to Arruda’s official duties. Chega President Andre Ventura, after meeting with Arruda, announced that the lawmaker could no longer remain within the parliamentary group due to the nature of the allegations.
Reports also surfaced suggesting that Arruda may have sold the contents of the stolen suitcases on a second-hand platform.
