Years after they were indicted for sex crimes against children, former television personality Carlos Cruz and former UNESCO ambassador Jorge Ritto have finally been stripped of their honours. According to Portuguese law, anyone going to prison for more than three years automatically loses any honours. Both men were condemned to over six years each in the Casa Pia sex scandal which involved a number of high- ranking public officials and professional people.
Cruz, once known as “Mr Television”, lost his Grand Officer title of the Order of Prince Henry - bestowed for his work on the executive commission for Portugal’s candidacy for the Euro 2004 football championships, while Ritto lost his Grand Collar of the Order of Prince Henry, awarded for services rendered to Portugal as an ambassador.
Both remain in Sintra’s Carregueira jail, alongside a number of other latter-day VIPs, including former Benfica boss Vale e Azevedo.
This news story was reproduced with kind permission of the Algarve Resident. For more news, see www.portugalresident.com.
