Message to Alipio Ribeiro, head of the PJ:

Congratulations, Mr. Ribeiro. We know now that it's official: Goncalo Amaral is taking early retirement. He won't be around to embarrass you any more.

Of course, neither will he be around to perform the impressive feats of narcotics interdiction he's been doing for the past 28 years, to work inhuman hours at the expence of his own family life trying to find missing children like Joana Cipriano and Madeleine McCann, or to stand up virtually alone for months, with no support from you, against the slanders of the British press. He won't be there to literally beg the parents of the next child who goes missing in the Algarve not to put out an ill-advised wanted poster that he believes could make her a liability to anyone who has her and mark her for death. He won't be there to do whatever he feels is necessary to find a missing child even if the parents DO have impressive and powerful friends who can pressure the Portuguese government.

We have read in the papers in the past two days that Chief Inspector Amaral is considering an offer to go into security working for a private company. His lawyers are also looking at libel suits against the British press. He will probably make far, far more money in the next few years than he ever made as a policeman. But I think he didn't want to go. I think he would have been willing to continue to work for a copper's pay and put up with a copper's hours if he had enjoyed a little support from you. He didn't get it. That is YOUR loss, and the PJ's.

Who's next, Mr. Ribeiro? Guilhermino Encarnacao? Luis Neves? God help us (and you), Paulo Rebelo?

When are you going to REALLY apologise for your incredible statement that the public prosecutor may have been "hasty" in making the McCanns arguidos? When are you going to stop mouthing platitudes about all avenues of investigation being open in the Madeleine McCann case? That is laughable. The investigation thus far has ruled out the possibility that Madeleine was abducted, and you know it. The reason this case hasn't already been solved is because, under political pressure, the PJ kept investigating that angle for so long.

WHEN ARE YOU GOING TO STOP WORRYING ABOUT WHAT THE BRITISH THINK AND STAND UP FOR THE MEN AND WOMEN IN YOUR ORGANISATION, AND FOR PORTUGAL?

We're waiting. But in the meantime, congratulations anyway. You got what you wanted. I hope you enjoy living with it.

There is a translation of a very poignant Correio da Manha article about Goncalo Amaral by MCXLIII that appears in the translation thread. I wanted to bring it here, as I think it says a lot about Mr. Amaral's service to Portugal: He started working for the army when he was only 14 years old and has been with the PJ for 28 years:

Thanks, MCXLIII, for the translation:

Sorrow in the exit of Amaral
It is with a hurt feeling that Gonçalo Amaral, the former coordinator of the investigation in the disappearance of Madeleine,
and also of Joana, is going to leave the Policia Judiciaria, at the end of a 28 year career, to retire himself.
The request for retirement, which sums more than 38 years on the civil service ( he started to work for the army at the age of 14,
having gained in there some bonus years), was requested a little over a month ago.
But the Correio da Manha knows that the decision was taken shortly after his removal from his position of coordinator of
the Department of Criminal Investigation of Portimão, in the beginning of last October.
Gonçalo Amaral was replaced by Paulo Rebelo. The change was never well ‘digested�?
Back then, Gonçalo Amaral, who had just turned 48 years old, immediately started to equate his future.
The CM knows that Gonçalo Amaral conveyed his disappointment to Alipio Ribeiro the national Director of the PJ, a few days ago,
after his request for retirement had been accepted by the national direction of the PJ and the CGA.
“He doesn’t leave happy with the treatment received in the recent years. The institution didn’t defend him in several occasions,
especially in the last two cases in which he was involved, and that destroyed his image�? confided a source of the PJ to CM.
The future of Gonçalo Amaral may now pass by a leadership job connected to justice or private security.
The CM knows that he received an invitation to lead a security team of a private enterprise,
but he hasn’t decided if he is going to accept it or not.
Officialy, the PJ doesn’t confirm or denny the retirement of the coordinator.�?Only he can answer that.
It’s a personnal matter, said to CM the director of Faro’s PJ, Guilhermino Encarnação.
Amaral went on vacation on March 5th and only returned to duty for a couple of days in April, because,
legaly he could not be more than 22 days on holydays.
Probably he won’t return to active duty on PJ.
�?I don’t know if Gonçalo leaves happy or sad. If he wanted to stay a few more years or not. I would do the same�?
says Carlos Anjos, president of the ASFIC.
The dirigent says that it’s �?one among dozens of PJ elements who want to leave this year because they gather the
conditions for retirement �?

Profile.
Gonçalo Amaral is 48 years old.
Married for the second time, the ex-coordinator of the PJ has three daughters.
The youngest is four �?the same age as Madeleine �?and the older is 23, from his first marriage.
He quitted his Engineering studies in Coimbra in 1981, to enter the PJ.
He made courses of Sociology, Psychology, Psychiatry and Criminal investigation in Lisbon’s School of Police.
Later it achieved a law degree. Working for the PJ for 17 years, we made his way up to the category of inspector