The President of the Regional Government, Miguel Albuquerque, has defended the vital role of the Bar Association in protecting citizens’ rights, freedoms and legal guarantees, while warning of what he sees as growing threats to the right of defence and the challenges posed by rapid advances in artificial intelligence.
Speaking at the opening of the first Insular Advocacy Conference in Porto Santo on Friday, Albuquerque reflected on his own legal background and the significant changes the profession has undergone over recent decades.
He said the Bar Association had played “a fundamental and decisive role in defending the rights, freedoms and guarantees of citizens” throughout its history and argued that its work is becoming increasingly important during what he described as “complicated times” for the rule of law.
The Regional Government President warned of what he described as increasingly authoritarian trends in modern politics, suggesting that the digital world has become one of the main arenas for political confrontation.
According to Albuquerque, the online environment is a space where “anything can happen” and where clear boundaries are often lacking, making it essential for institutions that safeguard the rule of law to remain vigilant.
He also expressed concern over what he described as “historical revisionism” and criticised the growing tendency to introduce legislation in response to individual cases or media pressure rather than broader legal principles.
Without referring to specific legislation, Albuquerque said some recent legal proposals appeared designed to restrict the role of lawyers, particularly in criminal cases, potentially undermining citizens’ right to a full legal defence.
“The right of defence and the rule of law are founded on giving citizens every opportunity to receive fair and professional legal representation,” he said, warning that any attempt to weaken the role of lawyers would represent “a very dangerous process.”
He also criticised what he described as trial by public opinion, arguing that legislation should never be driven by emotion or public pressure.
“Anyone who wants to see heads hanging in the public square should remember that one day it could be their own, or that of a member of their family,” he said.
Turning to technology, Albuquerque warned that artificial intelligence presents new challenges for the legal profession, particularly through the spread of misinformation and increasingly sophisticated methods of manipulating information.
He argued that distinguishing truth from falsehood is likely to become progressively more difficult and said lawyers will have an increasingly important role in protecting citizens’ rights as technology continues to evolve.
Concluding his address, Albuquerque said political leaders should have the courage to express their convictions openly, adding that too many avoid taking clear positions out of fear of public reaction.
Samantha Gannon
info at madeira-weekly.com
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