View source for Ana Gomes

{{Short description|Portuguese diplomat and politician}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2021}}
{{Portuguese name|Rosa|Martins Gomes}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| honorific_prefix    = 
| name                = Ana Gomes
| honorific_suffix    = [[Order of Christ (Portugal)|GCC]] [[Order of Prince Henry|GOIH]] [[Order of Merit (Portugal)|ComM]]
| image               = Ana Gomes.jpg
| image_size          = 
| image_upright       = 
| alt                 = 
| caption             = Gomes in 2014
| office              = [[Member of the European Parliament]]
| term_start          = 20 July 2004
| term_end            = 1 July 2019
| parliamentarygroup  = 
| constituency        = [[Portugal (European Parliament constituency)|Portugal]]
| majority            = 
| predecessor         = 
| successor           = 
| prior_term          = 
| office2             = [[List of diplomatic missions of Portugal|Portuguese Ambassador to Indonesia]]
| term_start2         = 12 July 2000
| term_end2           = 14 April 2003
| predecessor2        = Guilherme de Sousa Girão (acting, as ''[[chargé d'affaires]]'')
| successor2          = José Manuel Santos Braga
| birth_name          = Ana Maria Rosa Martins Gomes
| birth_date          = {{Birth date and age|1954|02|09|df=y}}
| birth_place         = [[São Sebastião da Pedreira]], [[Lisbon]], [[Portugal]]
| death_date          = 
| death_place         = 
| death_cause         = 
| resting_place       = 
| resting_place_coordinates = 
| party               = [[Socialist Party (Portugal)|Socialist Party]] (2002–present)
| spouse              = {{plainlist|
* {{marriage|[[:pt:António Monteiro Cardoso|António Monteiro Cardoso]]|1974|1975|end=divorce}}
* {{marriage|António Franco|1994|2020|end=died}}
}}
| relations           = 
| children            = 1
| mother              = 
| father              = 
| residence           = 
| alma_mater          = [[University of Lisbon]]
| occupation          = [[Diplomat]]
| signature           = Assinatura Ana Gomes.svg
| website             = {{URL|https://www.anagomes.eu/}}
| otherparty          = [[Portuguese Workers' Communist Party|Workers' Communist Party]] (1973–1976)
}}
'''Ana Maria Rosa Martins Gomes''' {{post-nominals|post-noms=[[Order of Christ (Portugal)|GCC]] [[Order of Prince Henry|GOIH]] [[Order of Merit (Portugal)|ComM]]}} (born 9 February 1954), better known as '''Ana Gomes''', is a Portuguese former diplomat<ref>Tariq Panja (April 22, 2020), [https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/22/sports/soccer/portugal-benfica-football-leaks.html The Soccer Club as Sovereign State] ''[[New York Times]]''.</ref> and politician of the [[Socialist Party (Portugal)|Socialist Party]] (PS).

She earned wide recognition for her role in negotiating independence for [[East Timor]], a former Portuguese colony, and in the reestablishment of diplomatic relations between Portugal and [[Indonesia]]. She later suspended her career as a diplomat to enter [[Political party|party politics]], and served as a Member of the [[European Parliament]] from 2004 until 2019,<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.ps.pt/en/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090802112714/http://www.ps.pt/en/|url-status=dead|archive-date=2009-08-02|title=Partido Socialista - Home|date=2009-08-02|access-date=2019-12-17}}</ref> where she was an outspoken campaigner on corruption and human rights.

On 10 September 2020, she officially announced her candidacy for the [[2021 Portuguese presidential election]],<ref>{{cite news |last=Sapage |first=Sónia |date=2020-09-10 |title=Ana Gomes: "Não devo nem posso desertar deste combate pela democracia" |trans-title=Ana Gomes: "I shouldn't nor can I give up the struggle for democracy" |url=https://www.publico.pt/2020/09/10/politica/noticia/ana-gomes-nao-devo-desertar-combate-democracia-1931115 |language=pt |work=[[Público (Portugal)|Público]] |access-date=2020-09-11}}</ref> without official support from the Socialist Party.<ref>Paul Ames (January 22, 2021), [https://www.politico.eu/article/portugal-president-election-2021-vote-coronavirus-infections/ Portugal votes for a president amid record coronavirus infections] ''[[Politico Europe]]''.</ref> She finished second, with 13% of the votes, the best result ever achieved by a woman in a presidential election in Portugal.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Lopes |first1=Maria João |last2=Martins |first2=Ruben |date=24 January 2021 |title=Presidenciais: Ana Gomes é a mulher mais votada de sempre |trans-title=Presidential election: Ana Gomes is the woman with most votes ever |url=https://www.publico.pt/2021/01/24/politica/noticia/presidenciais-ana-gomes-mulher-votada-1947739 |language=pt |work=[[Público (Portugal)|Público]] |location= |access-date=25 January 2021}}</ref>

==Education and early political career==
Ana Gomes was born in 1954 in [[Maternidade Alfredo da Costa|Alfredo da Costa Maternity Hospital]],<ref name="Dinis2021">{{cite news |last=Dinis |first=Rita |date=14 January 2021 |title=O minuto de Marcelo em silêncio, a "infância" de Ana Gomes e os arquivos do PS e PSD: os tempos de antena dos candidatos |trans-title=The silent minute of Marcelo, the "childhood" of Ana Gomes, and the PS and PSD stock footage: the candidates' campaign advertisements |url=https://observador.pt/especiais/o-minuto-de-marcelo-em-silencio-a-infancia-de-ana-gomes-e-os-arquivo-do-ps-e-psd-os-tempos-de-antena-dos-candidatos/ |url-access=subscription |language=pt |work=[[Observador]] |access-date=21 January 2021 }}</ref> in the [[Lisbon]] parish of [[São Sebastião da Pedreira]], and she grew up during the authoritarian ''[[Estado Novo (Portugal)|Estado Novo]]'' regime.

Her father, Jorge Pedro Martins Gomes,<ref name="propositura">{{cite web |url=https://anagomes2021.pt/Propositura-Ana-Gomes-2021.pdf |title=Declaração de propositura da candidatura de Ana Maria Rosa Martins Gomes à eleição para Presidente da República 2021 |last= |first= |date= |website=anagomes2021.pt |publisher= |access-date=1 February 2021 |quote= |archive-date=1 November 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201101004738/https://anagomes2021.pt/Propositura-Ana-Gomes-2021.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref> was an officer of the [[merchant marine]] and her mother, Maria Alice Rosa Gomes,<ref name="propositura"/> a [[homemaker]]. Both were politically minded and opposed the authoritarian regime.<ref name="QuePaísÉEste">{{cite podcast |host=Miguel Nabinho |title=Ana Gomes |website=Que país é este |publisher=[[Podcasts (software)|Apple Podcasts]] |date=3 January 2021 |url=https://podcasts.apple.com/pt/podcast/ana-gomes/id1522167852?i=1000504223857 |access-date=23 January 2021}}</ref> In her teenage years, she accompanied her father to the rallies of the opposition movements [[:pt:Comissão Eleitoral de Unidade Democrática|Democratic Unity Electoral Commission]] (CEUD, ''Comissão Eleitoral de Unidade Democrática'') and the [[Portuguese Democratic Movement|Portuguese Democratic Movement/Democratic Electoral Commissions]] (MDP/CDE, ''Movimento Democrático Português/Comissões Democráticas Eleitorais'') that unsuccessfully ran in the fraudulent [[1969 Portuguese legislative election|1969 legislative election]],<ref name="Domingues2020">{{cite web |url=https://www.maxima.pt/atual/detalhe/20200221-1641-ana-gomes-a-insubmissa |title=Ana Gomes: "fui e serei sempre fiel às minhas convicções" |trans-title=Ana Gomes: "I was and I always will be faithful to my convictions" |language=pt |last=Domingues |first=Maria Elisa |authorlink=Maria Elisa Domingues |date=9 April 2020 |website=[[Máxima (magazine)|Máxima]] |publisher= |access-date=22 January 2021 |quote=}}</ref> amid extensive harassment of opposition candidates and voter manipulation. Her parents allowed her and her sister a liberal education, initially at Colégio da Baforeira, a [[boarding school]] in [[Parede]], and then the [[Lyceum#Portugal|lyceum]] in [[Estoril|São João do Estoril]],<ref name="Domingues2020"/> and later still the [[:pt:Escola Secundária Maria Amália Vaz de Carvalho|Maria Amália Vaz de Carvalho Lyceum]] in [[Lisbon]],<ref name="QuePaísÉEste"/> where she became an activist of the Associative Movement of the Lisbon Secondary Education Students (MAEESL, ''Movimento Associativo de Estudantes do Ensino Secundário de Lisboa''), at the time led by [[Nuno Crato]].<ref name="QuePaísÉEste"/> In what she considered a "political act", Gomes formally requested to be released from [[religious education]] classes at school.<ref name="QuePaísÉEste"/>

She began attending the Faculty of Law of the [[University of Lisbon]] in 1972, a period marked by the regime's increasing academic repression climate in the aftermath of the [[student protest|student opposition resistance]] movement of the [[Academic Crisis]] in 1962, later revived by the [[Protests of 1968|international revolutionary movements of 1968]]; notably, 1972 was the year of the assassination of fellow law student [[:pt:José Ribeiro dos Santos|Ribeiro dos Santos]] by agents of the [[General Directorate of Security (Portugal)|political police]], and early in the year that followed, the [[Ministry of Education (Portugal)|Minister of Education]] [[:pt:José Veiga Simão|Veiga Simão]] had "surveillers" (''vigilantes''; commonly referred to as the "gorillas") placed at the Faculty to enforce police control over students. Ana Gomes soon became active in student political activism against the regime as part of the underground Anti-Colonial Struggle Committees (CLAC; ''Comités de Luta Anti-Colonial''), groups with links to the [[Portuguese Workers' Communist Party|Re-Organized Movement of the Party of the Proletariat]] (MRPP; ''Movimento Reorganizativo do Partido do Proletariado''), a clandestine communist party.<ref name="Raínho2020">{{cite web |url=https://visao.sapo.pt/atualidade/politica/2020-06-28-ana-gomes-a-indignada-militante/ |title=Ana Gomes: toda a história de uma indignada militante que quer ser Presidente da República |trans-title=Ana Gomes: the whole story of an indignant political militant who wants to become President of the Republic |language=pt |last1=Raínho |first1=Pedro |last2=Caneco |first2=Sílvia |date=28 June 2020 |website=[[Visão]] |publisher= |access-date=21 January 2021 |quote=}}</ref> As an [[initiation]], she was recruited to paint large murals against the [[Portuguese Colonial War|Colonial War]].<ref name="Domingues2020"/>

By the time of the [[Carnation Revolution]] that overthrew the dictatorial regime in 1974, Ana Gomes had been suspended from the Faculty of Law for "subversive activities"; she had been briefly arrested as an agitator, along with a group of fellow students, in December 1973 and was suspended the following month.<ref name="Domingues2020"/> At around this time, she was first employed part-time as a waitress at the restaurant Caldeiro owned by a popular actress of the time, [[Maria José (actress)|Maria José Curado Ribeiro]] (she worked there alongside [[:pt:Rita Ribeiro (atriz)|Rita Ribeiro]] and [[Guida Maria]]), and then as a translator for the exports department of the ''Companhia Portuguesa de Congelação'' (Portuguese Frozen Foods Company).<ref name="Domingues2020"/> She was present at the [[Chiado|Largo do Carmo]] in the afternoon of the day of the revolution, 25 April 1974, when the forces of the [[Armed Forces Movement]] led by [[Salgueiro Maia]] and a crowd of civilian supporters besieged the headquarters of the [[National Republican Guard (Portugal)|National Republican Guard]], where Prime Minister [[Marcelo Caetano]] had sought refuge, demanding he cede power. She later went to the [[Fort of King Luís I|Fort of Caxias]] to witness the release of the [[political prisoner]]s.<ref name="Raínho2020"/><ref name="Domingues2020"/><ref name="QuePaísÉEste"/> She was preparing to marry a fellow law student and political activist, [[:pt:António Monteiro Cardoso|António Monteiro Cardoso]], just as the revolution took place, but the marriage had to be postponed to the following month.<ref name="Domingues2020"/>

She was elected to the Faculty's [[student council]] in the [[electoral list]] supported by MRPP in November 1974 (alongside [[José Manuel Barroso|Durão Barroso]] and [[António Garcia Pereira|Garcia Pereira]])<ref name="QuePaísÉEste"/> as well as to the Faculty governing board. After the birth of her daughter in August 1975, she dropped out of law school and quit her job, and focused on working as a translator and interpreter for the press division of the Central Committee of MRPP.<ref name="Domingues2020"/>

During the political tensions of the "[[:pt:Verão Quente de 1975|Hot Summer]]" in 1975, during which the country was on the brink of civil war, culminating with the [[coup of 25 November 1975|attempted Communist coup of 25 November]], Ana Gomes was on the side of the democratic forces, supporting General [[António Ramalho Eanes|Ramalho Eanes]] and the [[Socialist Party (Portugal)|Socialist Party]] against the [[Portuguese Communist Party]]. Shortly after, however, in January 1976, disillusioned with the party's disbelief in the [[Portuguese transition to democracy]],<ref name="QuePaísÉEste"/> she abandoned MRPP and active politics. She returned to work as a secretary for an [[International trade|import/export company]] and resumed her law degree [[Night school|after working hours]], finally completing it in 1979.<ref name="Domingues2020"/> She was working as a [[teaching assistant]] at the Faculty of Law and training to become a [[lawyer]] under Manuel Figueira, a specialist in [[public international law]] and [[Admiralty law|maritime law]],<ref name="Domingues2020"/> when she was challenged by friends João Ramos Pinto and José de Freitas Ferraz to apply for the [[diplomatic service]].<ref name="QuePaísÉEste"/> She came out on top of all applicants in the [[Civil service entrance examination|concours]] to gain access to the [[Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Portugal)|Ministry of Foreign Affairs]].<ref name="Domingues2020"/><ref name="QuePaísÉEste"/>

* 1981 - Community Law Course, National Institute of Administration, Lisbon
* 1988 - Summer course at the International Institute for Human Rights, [[University of Strasbourg]]

==Career in the diplomatic service==
[[File:Ronald Reagan, Ramalho Eanes 1985.jpg|thumb|left|Ana Gomes sitting behind President [[António Ramalho Eanes]], during [[Ronald Reagan]]'s state visit to Portugal in 1985]]
Ana Gomes became a career diplomat in 1980 and worked for the department of the [[Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Portugal)|Ministry of Foreign Affairs]] that dealt with the negotiations for the accession of Portugal to the [[European Economic Community]].<ref name="QuePaísÉEste"/>

During the [[1980 Portuguese presidential election|1980 presidential election]], Gomes was invited to join the National Commission to Support the Reelection of [[António Ramalho Eanes|President Eanes]] (CNARPE; ''Comissão Nacional de Apoio à Reeleição do Presidente Eanes'') as a jurist.<ref name="QuePaísÉEste"/> In 1982, she was chosen to replace [[José Filipe Moraes Cabral]] as the diplomatic advisor to President [[António Ramalho Eanes]], and was in the position until the end of his term in 1986, additionally, she acted as the President's personal [[Language interpretation|interpreter]] when meeting foreign dignitaries.<ref name="QuePaísÉEste"/><ref name="Raínho2020"/> Among the dossiers she at the time came into contact with was the unfinished business of the [[decolonisation]] of [[East Timor]] (formerly a Portuguese colonial possession, abandoned after the [[Carnation Revolution]], and subsequently [[Indonesian invasion of East Timor|invaded by Indonesia]]), with which she worked with the President's special advisor for East Timor, former [[Prime Minister of Portugal|Prime Minister]] [[Maria de Lourdes Pintasilgo]].<ref name="Domingues2020"/>

Subsequently, she served in the Portuguese Missions at the [[United Nations]] in [[New York City|New York]], and also in the Embassies in [[Geneva]], [[Tokyo]] and [[London]].<ref name="Domingues2020"/>

After Indonesian President [[Suharto]]'s fall from power in 1998, Ana Gomes was part of the diplomatic talks about East Timor between the Portuguese authorities led by [[Jaime Gama]], and Indonesian authorities led by [[Ali Alatas]]. When it was decided Portugal would set up an [[De facto embassy|Interests Section]] in [[Jakarta]] (with the [[Netherlands]] acting as [[protecting power]]), she was chosen to head it. In 2000, with the reestablishment of bilateral relations with Indonesia, Ana Gomes was the first Portuguese Ambassador in Jakarta, having played an important role both in the process leading up to the independence of [[East Timor]] and in the reestablishment of diplomatic relations between Portugal and Indonesia.<ref>[http://en.tempo.co/read/news/2013/05/22/241482225/Ana-Gomes-Im-a-Fan-of-Indonesias-Democratic-Process Ana Gomes: I'm a Fan of Indonesia's Democratic Process], ''[[Tempo Interactive]]'', 22 May 2013</ref> According to ambassador [[:de:Fernando Neves|Fernando de Oliveira Neves]], as relayed in his work ''O Negociador'' (2019), Gomes showed "unusual professionalism" and had an "extraordinary role" in the negotiations, and became a friend of Ali Alatas who came to admire her.<ref name="Domingues2020"/>

*1980 - Entered the Diplomatic Service through public competition, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Lisbon
*1982-1986 - Diplomatic Advisor of the President of the Republic, General [[António Ramalho Eanes]], Lisbon
*1986-1989 - First Secretary at the Portuguese Permanent Representation at the UN and other International Organisations (responsible for Human Rights and Humanitarian Law), Geneva
*1989-1991 - Counsellor at the Portuguese Embassy in Tokyo
*1991-1994 - Political Counsellor at the [[Embassy of Portugal, London|Portuguese Embassy in London]]
*1992 - Member of the European Union Presidency team working on the Middle East Peace Process
*1992 -1994 - Member of the Portuguese Delegation at the UN Human Rights Commission in Geneva
*1994 - Head of the Europe Unit, Political Affairs Department, [[Foreign minister|Ministry of Foreign Affairs]], Lisbon
*1995 -1996 - Chief of Staff of the Secretary of State for European Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Lisbon
*1997-1998 - Coordinator of the Portuguese Delegation at the [[UN Security Council]], New York
*1999 - 2000 - Director of the Portuguese Interests Section at the Embassy of the Netherlands, Jakarta
*2000 - 2003 - Ambassador of Portugal in Indonesia, Jakarta

==Political career==
===Early beginnings===
In December 2001, following the resignation of Socialist Prime Minister [[António Guterres]], President [[Jorge Sampaio]] dissolved the [[Assembly of the Republic (Portugal)|Assembly of the Republic]] and called for fresh legislative elections; the [[Socialist Party (Portugal)|Socialist Party]], led by [[Eduardo Ferro Rodrigues|Ferro Rodrigues]], then lost the [[2002 Portuguese legislative election|2002 election]] to [[José Manuel Barroso|Durão Barroso]]'s [[Social Democratic Party (Portugal)|Social Democratic Party]]. Ana Gomes was indignant Ferro Rodrigues, who she regarded as an honest politician, lost the election, and joined the Socialist Party the day after the election, on 18 March 2002.<ref name="Domingues2020"/> Later that same year, she was invited to positions in the party leadership and to join the party's [[electoral list]]s for the [[European Parliament]]. She was elected Member of the European Parliament in the [[2004 European Parliament election in Portugal|2004 election]], and served for three terms (reelected [[2009 European Parliament election in Portugal|in 2009]] and [[2014 European Parliament election in Portugal|in 2014]]).

Political responsibilities:
*2002 - Elected Member of the National and Political Committees of the Socialist Party
*2003 - 2004 - National Secretary for External Relations of the Socialist Party
*2004 - ongoing - Member of the National Committee of the Socialist Party

===Member of the European Parliament, 2004–2019===
[[File:Ana Maria Gomes, Member of the Subcommittee on Security and Defence, European Parliament (5221573249).jpg|thumb|right|Ana Gomes in 2010, during her term as Member of the European Parliament]]
In parliament, Gomes served on the [[Committee on Foreign Affairs (EU)|Committee on Foreign Affairs]] (2004–2014), its [[Subcommittee on Security and Defence]] (2004–2019), its [[Subcommittee on Human Rights]] (2009–2014) and the [[European Parliament Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs|Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs]] (2014–2019).

From 2006 until 2007, Gomes was also a member the [[Temporary Committee on the alleged use of European countries by the CIA for the transport and illegal detention of prisoners]].<ref>Judith Crosbie (January 24, 2007), [https://www.politico.eu/article/centre-right-meps-demand-more-changes-to-cia-report/ Centre-right MEPs demand more changes to CIA report] ''[[European Voice]]''.</ref> She authored a 2008 report on China's role in Africa, which criticised Chinese imports of natural resources from the continent.<ref>Daniel Igra (April 25, 2008), [https://www.politico.eu/article/meps-lambast-chinas-role-in-africa/ MEPs lambast China's role in Africa] ''[[European Voice]]''.</ref> In 2018, she chaired a delegation of the European Parliament to investigate the rule of law and money laundering in Malta.<ref>Francesco Guarascio, Stephen Grey and Alastair Macdonald (April 27, 2018), [https://www.reuters.com/article/us-eu-malta-murder/europol-sees-room-for-improvement-in-cooperation-with-malta-on-journalist-murder-idUSKBN1HY2F2 Europol sees room for improvement in cooperation with Malta on journalist murder] ''[[Reuters]]''.</ref>

In addition to her committee assignments, Gomes was part of the parliament's delegations to the [[ACP–EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly]] (2004–2009) and [[Iraq–European Union relations|for relations with Iraq]]<ref>[https://www.europarl.europa.eu/meps/en/28306/ANA_GOMES/history/8 Ana Gomes] [[European Parliament]].</ref> as well as of the Intergroup on [[Western Sahara]] and the Group of Friends European Parliament/[[East Timor]]. She also participated in a number of European Parliament missions to Afghanistan, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Chad, China, Democratic Republic of Congo, East Timor, Kosovo, Lebanon, Indonesia (including Aceh), Iraq, Israel, Palestine, Sudan (Darfur), Turkey, USA, etc. She took part in the following [[Election monitoring#International Election Observation|Election Observation Missions]] (EOM):
:*[[Ethiopia]] (2005) - Head of the EU's EOM
:*[[Democratic Republic of the Congo|Democratic Republic of Congo]] (2006) - Member of the [[European Parliament]]'s EOM
:*[[East Timor]] (2007) - Head of the European Parliament's EOM
:*[[Angola]] (2008) - Member of the European Parliament's EOM

==Political positions and controversy==
During her time in the European Parliament, Gomes' main areas of activity were: [[Human migration|migration]], human rights, security and defence, [[international relations]],<ref>Nicholas Hirst (April 29, 2014), [https://www.politico.eu/article/european-issues-v-domestic-austerity-in-portugal/ European issues v domestic austerity in Portugal] ''[[Politico Europe]]''.</ref> [[Gender|gender issues]] and development. In 2010 she signed the [[Spinelli Group]] manifesto supporting a federal Europe.

In 2012, Gomes argued she was held at [[Bahrain International Airport]] for over seven hours despite holding a [[diplomatic passport]] when she tried to enter Bahrain during a stopover on the way to [[Benghazi]], [[Libya]].<ref>Robert-Jan Bartunek (April 29, 2012), [https://www.reuters.com/article/bahrain-protests-airport/european-mp-says-stopped-from-entering-bahrain-idUSL5E8FT19B20120429 European MP says stopped from entering Bahrain] ''[[Reuters]]''.</ref>

Gomes faced accusations of [[antisemitism]] for inviting anti-Israel speakers to the European Parliament and allegedly referring to Jewish organizations as a "perverse lobby".<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://eurojewcong.org/news/ejc-in-the-media/raya-kalenova-mep-ana-gomes-calling-jewish-organisations-perverse-lobby/|title=Raya Kalenova: MEP Ana Gomes is calling Jewish organisations a 'perverse lobby' - European Jewish Congress|date=2018-03-13|work=European Jewish Congress|access-date=2018-03-20|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://transatlanticinstitute.org/videos/mep-ana-gomes-defames-jewish-organizations-perverse-lobby/|title=MEP Ana Gomes Defames Jewish Organizations as 'Perverse Lobby'|date=2018-02-28|work=ACJ Transatlantic Institute|access-date=2018-02-28|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/242884/|title=Jewish group: European Parliament must discipline Ana Gomes|date=2018-03-08|work=Arutz Sheva International Network|access-date=2018-10-13|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.ejassociation.eu/hot-topics/pro-bds-conference-held-at-european-parliament/|title=PRO-BDS CONFERENCE HELD AT EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT|date=2018-03-08|work=European Jewish Association|access-date=2018-10-13|language=en-US|archive-date=13 October 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181013211927/https://www.ejassociation.eu/hot-topics/pro-bds-conference-held-at-european-parliament/|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Her [[Political activism|activism]] and membership in the migration focused [[NGO]] Friends of Europe were commented upon in an interview by the Romanian prime-minister [[Viorica Dancila]] as "totally uninspired".<ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.romaniajournal.ro/socialist-mep-ana-gomes-about-the-romanian-pm-finally-viorica-dancila-has-said-something/ |title= PM Dancila dismisses Socialist MEP Ana Gomes' statement: 'Totally uninspired' |accessdate= 26 February 2018 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20181013211700/https://www.romaniajournal.ro/socialist-mep-ana-gomes-about-the-romanian-pm-finally-viorica-dancila-has-said-something/ |archive-date= 13 October 2018 |url-status= dead }}</ref> Two requests made by the Deputy Attorney General of [[Portugal]] in 2014 and 2017 to waive Ana Gomes' parliamentary immunity with respect to criminal proceedings against her in connection with statements made by her in a television debate and in an interview with the Portuguese Journal "Diário de Noticias"<ref>{{Cite web|title=REPORT on the request for waiver of the immunity of Ana Gomes|url=https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/A-8-2017-0363_EN.html|access-date=2021-06-04|website=www.europarl.europa.eu|language=en}}</ref> whereas the newspaper article indicated that investigations were under way in relation to the Viana shipyards and in this connection Gomes commented that "something was starting to happen with regard to a case of blatant corruption" have both been decided against by the [[European Parliament]].<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?pubRef=-//EP//TEXT+REPORT+A8-2014-0025+0+DOC+XML+V0//EN |title=Report on the request for waiver of the immunity of Ana Gomes (2014/2045(IMM))|date=2014-11-11|accessdate=2018-10-13}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?pubRef=-//EP//TEXT+REPORT+A8-2017-0363+0+DOC+XML+V0//EN |title=Report on the request for waiver of the immunity of Ana Gomes (2017/2096(IMM))|date=2017-11-23|accessdate=2018-10-13}}</ref>

=== Defamation law suits ===

==== Mário Ferreira vs. Ana Gomes 2019 ====
In April 2019 Gomes referred on [[Twitter]] to the CEO of Douro Azul, [[Mário Ferreira]], as a "crook" in connection with the shipyard case in Viana do Castelo. This case involved allegations of irregularities and corruption in the shipyard industry, which attracted significant media attention and public scrutiny.

Gomes derogatory remarks about Ferreira led to a legal dispute. A court in [[Porto]] ultimately ruled in favor of the CEO and found Gomes guilty of defamation and insulting behavior. As a result, she was ordered to pay an indemnity of EUR 10,000 in damages to the CEO as compensation for the harm caused by her statements.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Ana Gomes condenada por chamar escroque a Mário Ferreira |url=https://www.dn.pt/sociedade/ana-gomes-condenada-por-ter-chamado-escroque-a-mario-ferreira-16989914.html/ |access-date=2024-01-23 |website=Diário de Notícias |date=8 September 2023 |language=pt}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Carvalho |first=Patrícia |date=2023-09-08 |title=Ana Gomes condenada a pagar mais de 10 mil euros por chamar "escroque" a Mário Ferreira |url=https://www.publico.pt/2023/09/08/sociedade/noticia/ana-gomes-condenada-pagar-10-mil-euros-chamar-escroque-mario-ferreira-2062695 |access-date=2024-01-23 |website=PÚBLICO |language=pt}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-09-08 |title=Ana Gomes condenada em processo por difamação agravada |url=https://sicnoticias.pt/pais/2023-09-08-Ana-Gomes-condenada-em-processo-por-difamacao-agravada-d19739fb |access-date=2024-01-23 |website=SIC Notícias |language=pt}}</ref>

==== Mário Ferreira vs. Ana Gomes 2024 ====
In January 2024, Gomes faced trial at the Bolhão Court in Porto, in a case involving allegations of aggravated defamation against entrepreneur Mário Ferreira.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Ana Gomes julgada por difamação agravada contra Mário Ferreira |url=https://www.cmjornal.pt/portugal/detalhe/ana-gomes-julgada-por-difamacao-agravada-contra-mario-ferreira |access-date=2024-01-23 |website=www.cmjornal.pt |date=22 January 2024 |language=pt-PT}}</ref>

This marked the fourth legal proceeding initiated by Mário Ferreira against Ana Gomes. The charges stem, once again, from statements made by Gomes X (formerly Twitter) in March 2021, following a report by [[Expresso (newspaper)|Expresso]] detailing Mário Ferreira's investments, including private aviation. This occurred just one month after an [[Omni Aviation|OMNI]] aircraft, purportedly returning to Portugal, was intercepted in [[Brazil]] with over 500 kilograms of drugs on board.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Renascença |date=2024-01-22 |title="Patetices" e "embusteiro". Ana Gomes e Mário Ferreira trocam acusações em tribunal - Renascença |url=https://rr.sapo.pt/noticia/pais/2024/01/22/patetices-e-embusteiro-ana-gomes-e-mario-ferreira-trocam-acusacoes-em-tribunal/363714/ |access-date=2024-01-23 |website=Rádio Renascença |language=pt-pt}}</ref>

In one of her online posts, Ana Gomes wrote: <blockquote>How interesting! Thanks to Expresso, we discover that the multifaceted shipowner Mário Ferreira is now investing not only in Media Capital/TVI but also in another struggling profit business: private aviation... Will he be flying to Brazil, following the OMNI's footsteps?</blockquote>During the trial, Gomes emphasized that her intention had been solely to highlight the lack of control at national aerodromes, where various irregularities are known to occur, while at the same accusing Mário Ferreira of being a [[Straw man (law)|straw man]] for foreign investors engaged in [[money laundering]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-01-22 |title=Mário Ferreira acusa Ana Gomes de dizer patetices e diz esperar que a antiga eurodeputada "se trate" |url=https://expresso.pt/sociedade/justica/2024-01-22-Mario-Ferreira-acusa-Ana-Gomes-de-dizer-patetices-e-diz-esperar-que-a-antiga-eurodeputada-se-trate-a60fa2cd |access-date=2024-01-23 |website=Expresso |language=pt}}</ref>

Gomes ended up being accquited from her charges she was facing from Mário Ferreira.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Henriques |first=Ana |date=2024-02-01 |title=Ana Gomes ilibada no caso em que chamou escroque a Mário Ferreira |url=https://www.publico.pt/2024/02/01/sociedade/noticia/ana-gomes-ilibada-caso-chamou-escroque-mario-ferreira-2078901 |access-date=2024-02-01 |website=PÚBLICO |language=pt}}</ref>

==Personal life==
Ana Gomes [[Civil marriage|civilly married]] a colleague of the Faculty of Law of the [[University of Lisbon]], [[:pt:António Monteiro Cardoso|António Monteiro Cardoso]] (whom she called "Toné") on 20 May 1974, shortly after the [[Carnation Revolution]], in a [[Civil registration|register office]] in [[Alcântara (Lisbon)|Alcântara]], [[Lisbon]].<ref name="Bernardino2020">{{cite web |url=https://www.delas.pt/6-detalhes-desconhecidos-sobre-ana-gomes-a-candidata-as-presidenciais/pessoas/910126/ |title=6 detalhes desconhecidos sobre Ana Gomes, a candidata às Presidenciais |trans-title=6 unknown details about Ana Gomes, candidate for President |language=pt |last1=Bernardino |first1=Carla |date=11 November 2020 |website=delas.pt |publisher=[[Jornal de Notícias]] |access-date=21 January 2021 |quote=}}</ref> The couple then had lunch in a nearby restaurant, Galão, with their parents, the groom's sister, and the [[Groomsman#Best man|best man]], António Luís Cotrim. According to Gomes, the whole affair was brief and there was not even a picture taken of the event ("we did not care for such bourgeois vices"<ref name="Bernardino2020"/>), as the couple were then busy actively engaged with political work with [[Portuguese Workers' Communist Party|MRPP]] party as [[Portuguese transition to democracy|the country was transitioning to democracy]].<ref name="Bernardino2020"/> The marriage was happy and produced one daughter, Joana, but was ultimately broken off about one year later.<ref name="Bernardino2020"/>

She later married fellow diplomat António Franco in 1994, whom she had met in 1983 while working for President [[António Ramalho Eanes]]. Franco died in 2020.<ref name="RTPSoares2021">{{cite web |url=https://www.rtp.pt/noticias/politica/ana-gomes-a-mulher-que-divide-opinioes-e-ambiciona-ser-a-primeira-a-chegar-a-belem_es1287359 |title=Ana Gomes: a mulher que divide opiniões e ambiciona ser a primeira a chegar a Belém |trans-title=Ana Gomes: the woman who divides opinions and who wants to be the first in Belém |language=pt |last1=Ribeiro Soares |first1=Mariana |date=16 January 2021 |website= |publisher=[[Rádio e Televisão de Portugal]] |access-date=21 January 2021 |quote=}}</ref>

She currently lives in [[Cascais]].<ref name="propositura"/>

==Electoral history==
===Sintra City Council election, 2009===
{{election table|title=Ballot: 11 October 2009}}
|-
! colspan="2" | Party
! Candidate
! align="center" style="width:  50px"| Votes
! align="center" style="width:  50px"|%
! align="center" style="width:  50px"|Seats
! align="center" style="width:  50px"|+/−
|-
| style="background:{{party color|Democratic Alliance (Portugal, 2024)}};"|
| align="left"|[[Social Democratic Party (Portugal)|PSD]]/[[People's Party (Portugal)|CDS–PP]]/[[People's Monarchist Party (Portugal)|PPM]]/[[Earth Party|MPT]]
| align=left |[[Fernando Seara]] || 62,314 || 45.3 || '''6''' || ±0
|-
| style="background:{{party color|Socialist Party (Portugal)}};"|
| align="left"|[[Socialist Party (Portugal)|PS]]
| align=left |'''Ana Gomes''' || 46,458 || 33.7 || '''4''' || ±0
|-
| style="background:{{party color|Unitary Democratic Coalition}};"|
| align="left"| [[Unitary Democratic Coalition|CDU]]
| align=left |[[José Baptista Alves]] || 15,293 || 11.1 || '''1''' || ±0
|-
| style="background:{{party color|Left Bloc (Portugal)}};"|
| align="left"| [[Left Bloc (Portugal)|BE]]
| align=left |[[André Marona Beja]] || 8,121 || 5.9 || '''0''' || ±0
|-
| style="background:{{party color|Communist Party of the Portuguese Workers / Reorganizative Movement of the Party of the Proletariat}};"|
| align="left"| [[Portuguese Workers' Communist Party|PCTP/MRPP]]
| align=left |[[José Mestre (politician)|José Mestre]] || 1,497 || 1.1 || '''0''' || ±0
|-
| colspan="3" align="left"| Blank/Invalid ballots 
| 4,016 || 2.9 || – || –
|- style="background-color:#E9E9E9"
| colspan="3" align="left"| '''Turnout'''
| '''137,699''' || '''47.92''' || '''11''' || '''±0'''
|-
| colspan="7" align=left|Source: Autárquicas 2009<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.eleicoes.mai.gov.pt/autarquicas2009/#%00 |title=Autárquicas 2009 |work=SGMAI |access-date=8 August 2024}}</ref>
|}

=== Presidential election, 2021===
{{Main|2021 Portuguese presidential election}}
{{election table|title=Ballot: 24 January 2021}}
|-
! colspan="2" |Candidate
! Votes
! align="center" style="width:  50px"|%
|-
| style="background:{{party color|Social Democratic Party (Portugal)}};"|
| align=left |[[Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa]] || 2,531,692 || 60.7
|-
| style="background:{{party color|Independent (politician)}};"|
| align=left |'''Ana Gomes''' || 540,823 || 13.0
|-
| style="background:#202056;"|
| align=left |[[André Ventura]] || 497,746 || 11.9
|-
| style="background:{{party color|Unitary Democratic Coalition}};"|
| align=left |[[João Ferreira (politician)|João Ferreira]] || 179,764 || 4.3
|-
| style="background:{{party color|Left Bloc (Portugal)}};"|
| align=left |[[Marisa Matias]] || 165,127 || 4.0
|-
| style="background:{{party color|Liberal Initiative}};"|
| align=left |[[Tiago Mayan Gonçalves]] || 134,991 || 3.2
|-
| style="background:#00939d;"|
| align=left |[[Vitorino Silva]] || 123,031 || 3.0
|-
| colspan="2" align="left"| Blank/Invalid ballots 
| 85,182 || – 
|- style="background-color:#E9E9E9"
| colspan="2" align="left"| '''Turnout'''
| '''4,258,356''' || '''39.26'''
|-
| colspan="4" align=left|Source: Comissão Nacional de Eleições<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.cne.pt/sites/default/files/dl/2021_pr_mapa_oficial_resultados.pdf |title=Mapa Oficial Resultados |work=Comissão Nacional de Eleições |access-date=6 August 2024}}</ref>
|}

==Publications==
Numerous articles published in the ''Courrier Internacional'', ''[[Diário de Notícias]]'', ''[[Expresso (Portuguese newspaper)|Expresso]]'', ''Jornal de Leiria'', ''Jornal de Notícias'', ''[[Público (Portugal)|Público]]'' and ''Visão''.

Book ''Todo-o-Terreno - 4 Anos de Reflexões''<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.rcpedicoes.com/ver_Todo-o-Terreno---4-anos-de-reflexoes.htm|title=RCP Edições - Sobre Todo-o-Terreno - 4 anos de reflexões de Ana Gomes|website=www.rcpedicoes.com}}</ref> (RCP Edições, November 2008, Lisbon)

==Other activities==
*Member of the Student Union, Classical [[University of Lisbon]], Lisbon (1974–1976)
*Member of the Board of the Union of Portuguese Diplomats (1982–1986 and 1994–1996)
*Deputy-Chair of Parliamentarians for Nuclear Nonproliferation and Disarmament, European Parliament Section<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.pnnd.org/people/pnnd-european-parliament|title=PNND European Parliament - Parliamentarians for Nuclear Non-Proliferation and Disarmament|website=www.pnnd.org}}</ref>
*Member of the Portuguese chapter of [[Amnesty International]]
*Member of International Development NGOs [[CIDAC]] and Engenho & Obra
*Member of the Portuguese Association of Women Jurists

==Recognition==
{{BLP sources section|date=June 2009}}

===National orders===
*[[File:PRT Order of Christ - Grand Cross BAR.svg|80px]] Grand Cross of the [[Order of Christ (Portugal)|Military Order of Christ]] (9 June 2000)<ref name="OrdHonPor">{{cite web|title=Cidadãos Nacionais Agraciados com Ordens Portuguesas|url=http://www.ordens.presidencia.pt/?idc=153&list=1|website=Página Oficial das Ordens Honoríficas Portuguesas|access-date=9 January 2020}}</ref>
*[[File:PRT Order of Prince Henry - Grand Officer BAR.svg|80px]] Grand Officer of the [[Order of Prince Henry]] (18 March 1986)<ref name="OrdHonPor"/>
*[[File:POR Ordem do Merito Comendador BAR.svg|80px]] Commander of the [[Order of Merit (Portugal)|Order of Merit]] (27 April 1993)<ref name="OrdHonPor"/>

===Foreign orders===
*Insígnia of the [[Order of Timor-Leste]] (2009)<ref name="pres2014-25">[http://www.mj.gov.tl/jornal/?q=node/5704 ''Decreto do Presidente da República n.° 25/2014 de 27 de Agosto''], retrieved 18 September 2019.</ref>

===Awards===
*''Ruth Pearce Award'' for Human Rights by Human Rights NGOs, Geneva, 1989
*''Personality of the Year Award - 1999'', [[Expresso (Portuguese newspaper)|Expresso]] weekly newspaper, Lisbon, 1999
*''Personality of the Year Award - 1999'', Association of International Correspondents, Lisbon, 1999
*''Human Rights Award of the Assembly of the Republic (Portuguese parliament)'', 1999
*''Activist of the Year - 2008'', [[The Parliament Magazine]], Brussels, 2008

==References==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
<!-- Per [[WP:ELMINOFFICIAL]], choose one official website only -->
* {{official website}} {{in lang|en|pt}}
* {{MEP}}
* [https://anagomes2021.pt/] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210124204006/https://anagomes2021.pt/ |date=24 January 2021 }}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Gomes, Ana Maria}}
[[Category:1954 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Ambassadors of Portugal to Indonesia]]
[[Category:Grand Crosses of the Order of Christ (Portugal)]]
[[Category:Grand Officers of the Order of Prince Henry]]
[[Category:Socialist Party (Portugal) MEPs]]
[[Category:MEPs for Portugal 2004–2009]]
[[Category:MEPs for Portugal 2009–2014]]
[[Category:MEPs for Portugal 2014–2019]]
[[Category:21st-century women MEPs for Portugal]]
[[Category:Politicians from Lisbon]]
[[Category:Diplomats from Lisbon]]
[[Category:People from Cascais]]
[[Category:Portuguese women diplomats]]
[[Category:Women ambassadors of Portugal]]
[[Category:Portuguese human rights activists]]
[[Category:Candidates for President of Portugal]]
[[Category:Portuguese women activists]]
[[Category:Women human rights activists]]