Was a 29-Year-Old Nurse Appointed to Coordinate Renewable Energy Licensing?
“A 29-year-old nurse is not qualified to serve as coordinator of the mission structure for licensing renewable energy projects.”
Official documents confirm the appointment of Fábio Alves Teixeira, a nursing graduate with no academic or professional background in energy. The Minister of Environment publicly stated he was not suitable for the role, and he resigned shortly after.
What They Are Saying
News reports and social media posts have circulated claiming that the Portuguese government appointed a 29-year-old nurse to a technical coordination role within the Mission Structure for the Licensing of Renewable Energy Projects 2030 (EMER 2030). Critics argue that the appointee lacks the necessary technical qualifications for the specialized post.
What The Documents Show
The appointment was formalized in a dispatch signed by Manuel Nina, the president of EMER 2030, on February 9, 2026. The appointee, Fábio Alves Teixeira, is 29 years old and holds a degree in Nursing from the Nursing School of Porto (2018).
His curriculum vitae, attached to the appointment dispatch, lists a postgraduate degree in Project Management and professional experience in software implementation, social innovation, and government advisory roles (specifically in the cabinet of the Minister of Culture). However, the documents confirm zero academic or professional experience in the energy, environment, or sustainability sectors.
The reaction from the oversight body confirms the lack of suitability. The Minister of Environment and Energy, Maria da Graça Carvalho, stated she was not informed of the appointment and that she “could never agree with the designation… of a professional who was not from the area” for such a “specialized and vital” structure.
Following the public controversy and the Minister’s statement, Fábio Teixeira resigned from the position less than a week after his appointment. The Order of Engineers also publicly expressed “perplexity” at the choice, reinforcing the assessment that the appointee’s profile was mismatched with the technical demands of the role.
The evidence supports the claim: the individual was appointed despite lacking the specific qualifications typically required for the sector, a fact effectively admitted by the government’s subsequent disavowal of the choice. The appointment dispatch and the Minister’s public statement are on record.